An official readout issued by Tehran said the Iranian military has released all 25 crew members of the MSC Aries, including 17 Indians, days after they seized the Israeli-linked container vessel on April 13.
Seventeen Indian nationals, who were among the 25 crew members aboard the MSC Aries, a Portuguese-flagged cargo ship seized by the Iranian military earlier this month, have been released and some of them, including the lone woman cadet aboard the vessel, returned home Friday.
An official readout issued by Tehran said the Iranian military has released all 25 crew members of the MSC Aries, including 17 Indians, days after they seized the Israeli-linked container vessel on April 13.
As per the readout, Iran Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian mentioned the release of the crew of the ship during a phone conversation with his Estonian counterpart Margus Tsahkna on Friday.
“In response to the request of the Estonian side regarding the Portuguese ship seized in the territorial waters of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the release of the Estonian crew, Amirabdollahian said the ship, which turned off its radar in the territorial waters of Iran and endangered the security of navigation, is detained under judicial rules,” the handout issued by the Iranian foreign ministry said.
“He however noted that Iran has already released all the ship’s crew members on humanitarian grounds, and if the ship’s captain accompanies them, the crew including the Estonians can return to their country,” it said.
MSC Aries, a cargo vessel flying a portuguese flag, was seized by the Iranian Military on April 17 for alleged links to its arch nemesis Israel.
Hours after the seizure, White House National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson had said the ship’s crew comprised Indian, Filipino, Pakistani, Russian and Estonian nationals.
Meanwhile, Ann Tessa Joseph, the sole woman cadet among the 17 Indian crew members of the Israeli-linked container, arrived home to India on Friday and was reunited with her family.
(With PTI inputs)