Three Keralites, who were held captive for almost four months in Yemen, are set to return home after being released by Houthi rebels.
Akhil Raghu of Cheppad in Alappuzha, Deepesh of Meppayyoor in Kozhikode and Sreejith Sajeevan of Kaippuzha in Kottayam were among seven Indians on board Rwabee, a United Arab Emirates-flagged cargo ship seized by Houthi fighters, on January 2.
Rahul Raghu, brother of Akhil, said that his sibling was expected to reach home on Monday night or Tuesday. "Akhil along with others released from captivity reached Oman on a chartered flight on Sunday. He has texted me after reaching there from Yemen. Though we are yet to talk to him, authorities have informed us of his immediate return to Kerala," Mr. Raghu said.
The family has thanked the Union government, the Indian Ambassador to Djibouti and the shipping firm employing him for securing his release. It is a double joy for the Akhil's family. His release comes less than two months after his wife Jithina, who was pursuing her final year MBBS in Ukraine, returned from the war-torn country after initial apprehensions about her safety.
According to media reports, Houthi fighters had seized the vessel with a total of 11 crew members claiming it carried military supplies. But a statement released by the Saudi-led coalition, which is fighting the rebels, noted the ship carried medical equipment from a dismantled Saudi field hospital on the island of Socotra.
