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Pakistan Secures Release of 24 Nationals Held Hostage on LPG Tanker in Yemen

By Mashal Khan

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan announced on Monday the safe release of 24 of its citizens who had been held hostage aboard an LPG tanker in Yemeni waters following an Israeli drone attack earlier this month.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said in a post on X that the vessel, carrying 27 crew members — including 24 Pakistanis, two Sri Lankans, and one Nepali — was attacked by an Israeli drone on September 17 while docked at Ras al-Esa port, an area under Houthi control. The strike caused one LPG tank to explode, but the crew managed to extinguish the fire.

Naqvi said that after the attack, Houthi boats intercepted the ship and held the crew hostage aboard. He expressed gratitude to Interior Secretary Khurram Agha, senior officials, Pakistani missions in Oman and Saudi Arabia, and security agencies who worked “under extraordinary conditions” to secure their release.

“Alhamdulillah, the tanker and its crew have now been released by the Houthis and are out of Yemeni waters,” Naqvi wrote.

Earlier, the Foreign Ministry confirmed that Pakistani missions in the region had been in constant contact with Yemeni authorities and the crew’s families, ensuring their safety until their release