Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
At least one Indian seafarer was among the crew of a vessel detained by Iran amid escalating maritime tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting the government to be worried about the safety of Indian crew members amid reports of vessels coming under fire in the region.
Two of the three foreign commercial vessels targeted by Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday had Indian crew members on board, the government said, adding that all affected seafarers were safe.
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Speaking at a briefing, Mukesh Mangal, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said 22 Indian seafarers were aboard two of the ships involved in the incident. “All seafarers on board both the vessels are safe,” he said.
Iranian forces on Wednesday captured two container vessels – Francesca and Epaminondas – seeking to exit the strait, while a third ship, Euphoria, came under fire as tensions escalated in the strategic waterway.
One Indian national was among the 21-member crew of Epaminondas, a Panama-flagged container vessel bound for India. Mangal said authorities had established contact and confirmed the sailor’s safety. “We have spoken to concerned authorities, and he is safe,” he said.
The third vessel, Euphoria, also Panama-flagged, carried 21 Indian seafarers. Officials said all were unharmed. No Indian nationals were on board Francesca.
Mangal said Epaminondas and Francesca were located on the western side of the Persian Gulf, while Euphoria had moved east of the strait. “Now you can make out which vessel is where,” he said, without directly confirming whether the ships remained under Iranian control.
Tehran said the vessels had violated transit rules or ignored warnings issued by Iranian authorities. However, maritime security firm Vanguard Tech said one of the targeted ships had prior authorisation to pass through the waterway.
The incident followed the reported seizure of an Iranian commercial vessel by the US in the Sea of Oman. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) accused Washington of violating the ceasefire and engaging in “armed piracy,” alleging that US forces had fired on the Iranian ship and disabled its navigation systems.
The US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz – a key maritime route carrying a fifth of the world’s oil shipments – has heightened volatility in global energy markets.
GOVERNMENT WORRIED FOR INDIAN SEAFARERS
The Shipping Ministry said it was “worried about Indian seafarers” operating near the Strait of Hormuz after reports of vessels coming under fire in the region, though officials said no Indians had been injured.
“None of the Indian seafarers have been injured in the firing,” the ministry added.
The ministry also said that at least 2,680 Indian sailors have been evacuated since the Iran conflict began on February 28.
Separately, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said today that 10 Indian ships had safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz over the past week, while 14 vessels remain in the Persian Gulf amid rising maritime tensions.
– Ends
(with inputs from agencies)
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
