India maintains contact with the Iranian authorities on the situation with the seized UK-flagged tanker Stena Impero with 18 Indian citizens among the crew members, a spokesperson for the Indian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.
“We are ascertaining further details on the incident. Our Mission is in touch with the Government of Iran to secure the early release and repatriation of Indian nationals,” the spokesperson said.
On Friday, the Iranian authorities said they had seized the tanker in the Strait of Hormuz after it had violated international rules. After all the necessary procedures, the Revolutionary Guards’ Navy (NEDSA) escorted the tanker to the port of Bandar Abbas.
According to the authorities of the Islamic Republic, the tanker’s crew includes 18 Indians, three Russians, as well as several citizens of Latvia and the Philippines.
The Russian Embassy in Tehran told Sputnik that the shipowner had said that there were Russians on the tanker, promising to continue clarifying the details of the incident.