Yemen crisis: India evacuates 3300 Indians so far, says MEA

New Delhi: A batch of 574 people, considered to be the highest so far, has been evacuated from Yemen`s capital Sana`a by Air India, while an another group of 479 was rescued from Al Hudaydah by INS Mumbai, taking the total number of Indians rescued from the strife-torn country to nearly 3,300 on Monday.

According to reports, the Narendra Modi-led NDA government is looking at wrapping up the massive evacuation operation 'Rahat' in a couple of days.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin tweeted: "Exceeding previous efforts. Evacuation by Air India today from Sana`a was highest thus far. 574 persons head from Yemen to Djibouti."

Exceeding previous efforts. Evacuation by @airindiain today from Sana'a was highest thus far . 574 persons head from Yemen to Djibouti. — Syed Akbaruddin (@MEAIndia) April 6, 2015

Surge in evacuation efforts.1000 plus evacuated today from Yemen 574 by 3 flights ex Sana'a by @airindiain 479 by INS Mumbai ex Al Hudaydah

— Syed Akbaruddin (@MEAIndia) April 6, 2015

The evacuees were being taken to Djibouti from where they will fly back to India in an Indian Air Force aircraft. Tomorrow again, INS Turkish will dock at Al Hudaydah and bring back rest of the Indians who will gather there from nearby areas.

Official sources said the evacuation operation was going on notwithstanding the deteriorating situation across Yemen. They said the number of Indians across Yemen was around 5,000 of whom 1,000 were women married to Yemeni nationals. The number of Indians in Saana would be around 3,000 while around 554 were in Aden and 298 in offshore oil fields.

India also received requests from 23 countries, including Bangladesh, France, Germany, US and Sri Lanka, to help evacuate their citizens from strife-torn Yemen, which is witnessing continuing fighting between the Shia Houthi rebels and the Saudi Arabia-led coalition of 10 nations, which has launched air strikes in Yemen.

Here is list of countries requesting our assistance in evacuation from Yemen, as mentioned by Minister @SushmaSwaraj pic.twitter.com/lsEZMYk1pF — Syed Akbaruddin (@MEAIndia) April 6, 2015

In another tweet Akbaruddin wrote: "Requests for Indian assistance in evacuation from Yemen keeps growing. On last count 26 requests received."

Requests for Indian assistance in evacuation from Yemen keeps growing. On last count 26 requests received. pic.twitter.com/hn3TScsvFh — Syed Akbaruddin (@MEAIndia) April 6, 2015

(With Agency inputs)