An Indian vessel sank in the Red Sea after it was struck by a projectile off the coast of Yemen, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

The Yemeni coast guard rescued the ship’s 14 crew members, 13 of them Indian, and took them to the port of Mokha, India’s shipping and waterways minister Sarbananda Sonowal said.

Mr Sonowal described the incident involving the MSV Faize Noore Oliya as an “unprovoked attack” and said the directorate general of maritime administration had been instructed to coordinate with relevant agencies to safeguard Indian seafarers in the region and give assistance to the rescued crew members.

India’s foreign ministry condemned what it described as a “deeply worrisome” strike on a civilian vessel.

“The targeting of commercial shipping in the region must end and free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways in the region, in keeping with international law, must be restored at the earliest,” it said.

The ministry said the Indian embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was “closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with Yemeni authorities for safety and security of the crew”.

“We thank Yemeni authorities for their support,” it said in a statement.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

However, Yemen’s Saudi-backed government accused the rival Houthi administration, which is aligned with Iran and governs most of the country, of carrying out the strike with an explosives-laden boat.

The Houthis did not immediately comment on the allegation.

The attack is the latest on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, where maritime traffic faces mounting threats amid escalating regional tensions caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Since Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for the US-Israeli war, Gulf nations, especially Saudi Arabia, have been transporting the bulk of the remaining oil exports through the Red Sea. But that alternative route has become increasingly hazardous following last month’s announcement by the Houthi government that it was imposing a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia.

The instability has disrupted global shipping and prompted concerns over energy supplies, although oil prices have fallen over the last few days after senior US officials signalled progress in diplomatic efforts aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz.