New Delhi welcomed on Monday the release of seven Indian sailors held since Huthi rebels captured their Emirati-flagged ship in early January.

The Saudi-led military coalition backing Yemen's internationally-backed government had said the Rwabee was returning from setting up a field hospital.

But the Iran-backed Huthis released images of what they said were military jeeps and weapons on board the vessel, which was captured off the key rebel-held Red Sea port of Hodeida.

Oman's government said on Sunday that it had helped secure the release of the seven Indians along with one Filipino, one Indonesian, one Ethiopian, one person from Myanmar, and one Briton.

Britain on Sunday named its national as Luke Symons, who was detained in 2017 by Huthi rebels in southwest Yemen along with his Yemeni wife on suspicion of espionage, which his family denied.

The Indian foreign ministry said it "would like to thank all concerned parties for the release of the Indian sailors, in particular the Government of Oman."

The United Arab Emirates was yet to comment on the release.