Iran freed seven crew members from the Portuguese-flagged vessel MSC Aries, seized in the Gulf on April 13. Among those released were five Indians, along with a Filipino and an Estonian, as confirmed by Portugal’s foreign ministry.
Portugal has welcomed the release of the seven crew members but demands the “immediate release” of the remaining 17 crew and the vessel itself.
The container ship MSC Aries, with 17 Indian nationals onboard, was seized by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy near the Strait of Hormuz on April 13. The vessel was last seen on April 12, heading towards the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Dubai.
This incident occurred amidst escalating tensions, including a drone attack by Iranian forces against Israel. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman stated, “It is certain that this ship belongs to the Zionist regime.”
India activated diplomatic channels with Iran following the incident. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed the release of Indian seafarers during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, on April 14. Jaishankar expressed concern about the crew’s situation and sought Iran’s assistance. Amir-Abdollahian assured that Indian officials would be allowed to meet the crew.
The Indian seafarers aboard the Portuguese-flagged cargo vessel included the ship’s master, four Filipinos, two Pakistanis, one Russian, and one Estonian. Ann Tessa Joseph, the sole woman among the 17 Indian crew members, was released, while the rest of the crew were permitted to meet Indian authorities.