Twenty-three Indian crew members from the MV Falcon have been rescued after their ship caught fire off the coast of Yemen. The Cameroon-flagged vessel was sailing southeast of Aden towards Djibouti when an explosion occurred on Saturday, October 18, 2025. At the time of the incident, the MV Falcon was fully loaded with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Following an urgent distress call from the ship's master, the United Nations Naval Force (UNAVFOR) ASPIDES launched a search and rescue operation. Rear Admiral Andrea Quondamatteo, the Force Commander of ASPIDES, coordinated the efforts. A statement from ASPIDES confirmed, "EUNAVFOR ASPIDES has successfully coordinated a SAR (SEARCH AND RESCUE) operation."

The rescue was carried out by the MV MEDA, which saved 24 crew members, including one Ukrainian and the 23 Indians. The MV Falcon was then escorted to the Port of Djibouti, where the rescued crew members were handed over to the Djiboutian Coast Guard.

Out of the original crew of 26, two members remain unaccounted for. Authorities have been alerted to maintain a safe distance from the area due to the ongoing risk of explosion from the LPG cargo on board the MV Falcon.