Two Pakistanis killed in Houthi attack

Two Pakistanis killed in Houthi attack

The bodies of two Pakistani sailors killed in a Houthi attack on a cargo vessel in the Red Sea have arrived in Karachi, along with three injured crew members. Authorities also sent other injured Pakistanis to Islamabad for further medical treatment.

According to airport sources, a flight from Jeddah carrying the remains and injured members of the Pakistani maritime crew landed at Karachi Airport. The bodies of Umair Afzal and Muhammad Akram arrived on the flight operated by a foreign airline.

Sources said Umair Afzal belonged to Landhi, while Muhammad Akram was a resident of the Manzil Pump area of Karachi. Families and relevant authorities received the bodies at the airport.

The flight also brought three injured crew members — Abid Ali, Muhammad Rizwan and Muhammad Waheed — to Karachi. The authorities transported other injured Pakistanis to Islamabad Airport to facilitate their onward medical care.

The casualties resulted from a Houthi attack on a cargo ship in the Red Sea near the Bab al-Mandab Strait earlier this month. Yemeni government and Coast Guard sources said the Houthis targeted the vessel’s deck during the attack.

The assault killed three members of the ship’s crew and injured several others. The incident raised fresh concerns over the safety of commercial shipping and international maritime crews operating through the strategically important Red Sea route.

The Bab al-Mandab Strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and serves as a key passage for international trade. Repeated attacks in the region have forced shipping operators to take additional security measures and, in some cases, consider alternative routes.

Pakistani authorities are continuing arrangements for the injured crew members and the transportation of the deceased to their families.