RWABEE

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Crew of seized ship released

Houthi militia on April 25 have released the 11 crew members of the 'Rwabee' that was seized on January 3, with the assistance of Oman. The Houthis have claimed the cargo vessel was carrying military hardware when seized in the Red Sea. A detained British national was also released, along with his wife and child. He had been held without charge or trial since 2017.

Indian sailors said to be safe

India said on Feb 3 the seven Indian sailors taken captive by Yemen’s Houthi rebels when they seized the 'Rwabee' on Jan 2 were safe, though the captors still have not provided access to the hostages. 11 crew members, including the Indian, are being held by the Houthis after they seized the vessel in the Red Sea. The rebels claimed the vessel was carrying “military supplies” and had entered Yemeni waters off the coast of Hudaydah “without authorisation”. Both India and the United Arab Emirates have demanded the release of the crew.

Houthis reject release of ship

The Houthis on Jan 15 rejected a call from the UN Security Council demanding the "immediate release" of the 'Rwabee'. At a meeting on Jan 12, the United Arab Emirates had urged members of the UN Security Council to adopt "a firm position" against the Houthi rebels. The seizure of the ship was an “act of piracy” denounced the permanent representative of the Emirates to the United Nations. The vessel, with 11 crew members on board, carried equipment for the construction of a hospital, Saudi Arabia said. For a rebel government official in Yemen, the "ship did not contain dates and games for children but weapons intended for extremist groups." When seized, the vessel was coming from Socotra, a strategic territory controlled by separatists from the south, close to the United Arab Emirates.