Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has confirmed that 24 Pakistani crew members, along with three others, were safely released after being briefly held by Houthi forces following an attack on an LPG tanker near the Yemeni coast.
In a statement shared on social media, Naqvi said the incident took place near Ras al-Isa, where an Israeli drone targeted the LPG tanker. At the time of the strike, 27 crew members were on board, including 24 Pakistanis. The attack caused one of the tanks to explode, sparking a fire, but the crew managed to bring the blaze under control.
According to Naqvi, after the attack, Houthi fighters intercepted the vessel and took the crew members hostage.
Through coordinated efforts by Pakistani security agencies, the Ministry of Interior, and diplomatic channels, the hostages were released unharmed. The ship’s captain, Mukhtar Akbar, and all Pakistani crew members were confirmed safe. The vessel has since left Yemeni waters.
The interior minister praised the role of key officials, including Secretary Interior Khurram Agha and Ambassador Naveed Bukhari, as well as Pakistani teams in Saudi Arabia and Oman, for their critical contributions in securing the safe release of the crew.
