Greek Crew Member Released From Iranian Oil Tanker, 18 Others Still On Board

One crew member of the oil tanker St. Nikolas has been freed after being captured by Iran in the Gulf of Oman last week. The tanker belonged to Empire Navigation and was escorted to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas after being intercepted while transporting 145,000 tons of oil from Iraq to Turkey. The Greek cadet freed from the crew is flying back to Athens with Greece’s envoy to Iran.

The vessel contained 19 people on board the St. Nikolas, including the Greek cadet and 18 Filipinos. The oil tanker is anchored in Bandar Abbas, and the remaining crew members are still on board. According to Empire Navigation, the crew is in good health and communication with their families.

The corporation can only connect with the vessel through intermediaries, as satellite communication with the tanker is still disabled. Iran says the seizure is retaliation for what it considers to be the United States’ “theft” of Iranian oil from the same tanker, which was then known as the Suez Rajan, last year. Washington has requested the vessel’s and crew’s immediate release, calling the seizure “unlawful”.

The ambassador of the Philippines in Iran is involved in ongoing negotiations to release the remaining crew members. After being permitted to communicate with their families, a P&I agency official on board stated that the crew members were doing well. The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Migrant Workers in the Philippines are making concerted efforts to obtain the crew’s release while also offering assistance to their families.

Tensions are still heightened even after Iran justified the seizure at a press conference by claiming that it was carried out following international law and with judicial authority. In an attempt to obtain the release of the surviving crew members and return the cadet home, the Greek Foreign Ministry is also directly involved. Authorities and diplomatic channels are keeping a close watch on the issue.

Reference: VOA News

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