Iran releases crew, including 16 Indians, of seized ship

NEW DELHI: Iran said Friday it has released the crew members, including 16 Indian nationals, of the Portuguese-flagged ship it had seized in the middle of its military flare-up with Israel.
According to an Iranian press release, foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian told his Estonian counterpart Margus Tsahkna Friday the ship, which turned off its radar in the territorial waters of Iran and endangered the security of navigation, was detained under judicial rules.
“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.
Amirabdollahian underlined that compliance with maritime rules and regulations by all ships is necessary and unavoidable in order to maintain maritime safety,” said Iran in a readout of the conversation between the two ministers.
Ann Tessa Joseph, the sole woman cadet among the 17 Indian crew members of the Israeli-linked container vessel was released days after the tanker was seized by Iran’s military on April 13.
Hours after the Iranian military seized the vessel, White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson had said the ship’s crew comprised Indian, Filipino, Pakistani, Russian and Estonian nationals.
Recent attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden by Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthis, claiming solidarity with Palestinians have affected global shipping.
(With agencies input)