300 more Indians evacuated from Yemen

India tonight evacuated more than 300 Indians from Yemeni port city of Al Hudaydah, taking the total number of those rescued to over 800 from the strife-torn country as government stepped up efforts to get clearance for air sorties to bring back its nationals from Sanaa.

"INS Sumitra proves to be a 'good friend'. Docks in Al Hudaydah for the evacuation of 300 plus Indian nationals," the Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry said.

The Navy vessel INS Sumitra, which had evacuated 350 Indians from Aden on Tuesday night, was dispatched to Al Hudaydah on Wednesday to pull out over 300 Indians from there. They will reach Djibouti on Friday morning and then will be flown back to the country.

According to officials, while sea route has been working out fine for the evacuation operation 'Raahat', government was making efforts to have air route open to rescue its nationals from Sanaa, which was far from any port in Yemen. There are over 2,000 Indians in Sanaa.

The Spokesperson further tweeted that "Diplomatic options being pursued to ensure safe return of all Indians fromYemen."

Minister of State in External Affairs V K Singh, who is in Djibouti to oversee evacuation operation, met Foreign Minister Mohamoud Ali Youssouf of Djibouti and thanked him for the help extended to India in the evacuation of its nationals.

Meanwhile, 358 evacuees, who were rescued from Aden by INS Sumitra and were taken to Djibouti, returned by two Indian Air Force C-17 Globemasters. While one flight carrying 190 nationals landed in Mumbai, another one with 168 Indians landed in Kochi in early hours today.

This is the fourth major evacuation which the Indian government has undertaken. The first three were in Ukraine, Iraq and Libya.

Yemen has been witnessing fierce battle between Saudi-led coalition and Shiite rebels, who have battled their way into the heart of Yemen's main southern city Aden where fighting raged in the former stronghold of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, who has fled overseas.

Image: Indians wait to be evacuated at the Al Hudaydah port. Photohgraph: PTI