Indian crew member from Iranian seized ship returns home
In an official statement, the ministry assured that the crew members are in good health and are maintaining regular contact with their families back in India
An Indian crew member who was part of the MSC Aries container vessel, which was seized by Iran on April 13, has safely returned to India, India’s foreign ministry announced on Thursday.
According to the ministry, its mission in Tehran is actively coordinating with the remaining 16 Indian crew members who are still aboard the vessel, which was detained by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
In an official statement, the ministry assured that the crew members are in good health and are maintaining regular contact with their families back in India.
The incident involving the MSC Aries occurred shortly after Tehran vowed to retaliate against what it claimed was an Israeli strike on its consulate in Damascus.
In efforts to secure the release of the Indian crew members, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar engaged in discussions with his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, earlier this week.
Iran's foreign ministry had stated that the seizure of the MSC Aries was due to alleged violations of maritime laws and emphasized the vessel's purported connection to Israel.
The MSC Aries, operated by MSC and leased from Gortal Shipping, an affiliate of Zodiac Maritime, has been linked to Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer.