DHAKA: The Indian Navy evacuated 441 people, including a pregnant woman and children, from the Port of Aden in strife-torn Yemen in almost ‘war-like conditions’ on Saturday.

“Absolute tough environment at Aden….Evacuation of stranded Indians were carried out in almost war-like conditions by Indian Naval Ship Mumbai,” a Navy official said.

INS Mumbai, one of the warships sent to Yemen for rescue operations, was unable to enter the port due to heavy firing in Aden, and had to wait at the anchorage area of the port, reports the NDTV.

12 small crafts, which were hired by the warship, were used to move 30-35 Indians at a time from the port to INS Mumbai.

The warship has now set sail for Djibouti across the Red Sea, a journey that takes about nine hours to cover. From Djibouti the rescued people will be flown back to India.

Meanwhile, INS Sumitra was unable to rescue any Indian nationals from Al Mukalla port, which has been overrun by Al Qaeda terrorists.

Almost 2,000 Indians have been rescued so far from Yemen, with over 800 just on Saturday. 11 Indian nationals were rescued as well by Pakistan on Saturday.

Over 2,000 Indians are still estimated to be in Yemen.

On Saturday night, an Air India flight carrying as many as 193 Indian nationals, who were stranded in war-ravaged Yemen, landed in Kochi. They were part of evacuees who were brought to Djibouti from Sana’a earlier in the day.

On Friday night, over 660 Indian nationals rescued from Yemen arrived home by two Indian Air Force planes and a special Air India flight.

A fierce battle has been going on in Yemen between Saudi-led coalition and Shiite rebels, who have battled their way into the heart of Aden, Yemen’s main southern city.

BDST: 0903 HRS, APR 05, 2015
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