Thiruvananthapuram,  Seven Indian sailors, in captivity of Yemen's Houthi rebels since January 2 along with their UAE-flagged merchant ship Rwabee, have been released, relatives of some of the sailors said on Sunday.

The sailors included three Keralites - Dipash of Meppayur in Kozhikode, Akhil of Alappuzha, and Sreejith from Kottayam - and their relatives said that they have got information about their release.

The Houthi rebels had then claimed that the UAE-flagged vessel Rwabee was carrying "military supplies" and that it had entered the Yemeni waters of the coast of Hodeidah without any authorisation.

The External Affairs Ministry was in touch with the UN mission to felicitate the release of the Indian sailors.