Indian ship to make last trip from Yemen to Djibouti on Tuesday

An Indian ship will make its last journey from war-torn Yemen's Hodeidah port to Djibouti with stranded Indians on Tuesday, an official said here.

Speaking to IANS, R.S.Kannan, CEO of Roots-Norka (the state agency looking after the welfare of the Kerala diaspora) said the ship was supposed to depart on Sunday but for some reason it has been held up.

"With the Indian embassy in Sana'a now almost closed, it is very difficult to get information. The officials there had sent out information to those Indians who wish to return to reach Hodeidah for onward travel to Djibouti," he said.

Kannan said this would be the last such trip as two other Indian ships with passengers set sail from Djibouti, on the horn of Africa, for Mumbai and Kochi on Sunday.

Since evacuation began from Yemen early this month by both air and sea, close to 3,000 Keralites including more than 2,000 nurses have returned from Yemen.

Kerala government officials indicated that there are many Keralites who have preferred to remain in the troubled country and have contended that they will have an uncertain future if they return.

"Of late what we have come to know is that there are some of our people who are married to Yemenese and they also have chosen to stay back there," said Diaspora Minister K.C.Joseph.