Iran has released the Marshall Islands-flagged oil products tanker Talara, five days after it was seized in the Gulf, according to a report from Reuters.
Columbia Shipmanagement, the vessel’s technical manager, confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that all 21 crew members were safe and the tanker had resumed operations. The vessel had been en route to Singapore from the United Arab Emirates when it was intercepted by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) approximately 20 nautical miles off the coast of Khor Fakkan on Friday.
On Saturday, Iranian authorities acknowledged the seizure, citing unspecified violations, and redirected the tanker into Iranian territorial waters. Columbia Shipmanagement said the Talara was released at 04:42 local time (01:12 GMT) on November 19, with no allegations made against the crew, vessel managers, or owners.
The incident marked Iran’s first tanker seizure since scaling back its regional military actions in the wake of Israeli and US airstrikes earlier this year.
The Talara was carrying a cargo of high-sulphur gasoil when it was taken. Columbia Shipmanagement had reported the loss of contact with the vessel shortly after the seizure, raising concerns for the crew’s welfare until communications were re-established two days later.
Source link
