Injured Pakistani sailors return home, bodies of two killed in Houthi attack repatriated

WEB DESK: Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Thursday that the six Pakistani sailors injured in a recent Houthi attack on a Tanzanian-flagged commercial vessel have safely returned to Pakistan, while the remains of the two Pakistani sailors who lost their lives in the attack have also been repatriated.

In a post on X, Dar said all relevant stakeholders had been directed to ensure their “safe, dignified and expeditious repatriation.” He commended the Consulate General of Pakistan in Jeddah and Pakistan’s Embassy in Riyadh for their “prompt and dedicated efforts” in facilitating the return of the injured sailors and the repatriation of the bodies from Yemen, noting that this was carried out in the absence of a Pakistani diplomatic mission in Yemen.

The foreign minister also acknowledged the role of other stakeholders, including the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), in facilitating the sailors’ smooth arrival and onward arrangements in Pakistan. He further expressed appreciation for the cooperation extended by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “including the medical assistance and arrangements provided in Jeddah.”

Dar said Pakistan “condemns the attack in the strongest terms” and reiterated that the safety and security of seafarers must be ensured at all times. “We remain committed to extending all possible assistance to the injured sailors and the bereaved families,” he said.