On Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs announced that an Indian woman deck cadet onboard the Israeli-linked vessel MSC Aries, recently seized by Iran had arrived in India. The cadet, Ann Tessa Joseph, was one of the 17 Indians on the ship captured by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the Strait of Hormuz on 13 April.
Indian Cadet Returns
Joseph, who hails from Thrissur, Kerala, landed safely at the Cochin International Airport on Thursday afternoon. The Regional Passport Officer, Cochin, received her. The MEA said that the Indian Mission in Tehran continues to be aware of the issue and is in touch with the remaining 16 Indian crew members aboard the vessel.
Indian deck cadet Ms. Ann Tessa Joseph from Thrissur, Kerala, a member of the crew on vessel MSC Aries returned home today. @India_in_Iran, with the support of Iranian authorities, facilitated her return. Mission is in touch with Iranian side to ensure the well being of the… pic.twitter.com/iE932Y4F4y
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) April 18, 2024
“The crew members are in good health and in contact with their family members in India,” the MEA stated. It also mentioned that the Mission is in touch with Iranian authorities to ensure the well-being of the remaining crew.
The IRGC captured the vessel following an Israeli strike that killed its top officials in Damascus, Syria. Iran claims that the Portuguese-flagged vessel had “violated international maritime law.” The 25 crew members include 17 Indians, four Filipinos, two Pakistanis, one Russian, and one Estonian. The vessel was sailing from the UAE to India when the incident occurred.
Iran Allows Officials to Meet Indian Crew
India contacted Iranian authorities through diplomatic channels following the incident. On Thursday, Iran’s Ambassador to India, Iraj Elahi, confirmed that the Indian sailors had not been detained and were in good condition. He mentioned that they had not reached the shore yet owing to bad weather.
The MEA release mentioned that Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke to his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian regarding the matter and sought his support. During the talks, Amir-Abdollahian assured Jaishankar of support and said that Iran would follow up on the details related to the detained ship. Additionally, the Iranian minister mentioned that Indian representatives would soon be allowed to meet the captured crew. It was after several requests from India that an exception was made for the woman cadet.
Iran-Israel Tensions
Jaishankar also discussed the current situation in the region during the talks, where he urged both Iran and Israel to avoid escalation, exercise restraint and return to diplomacy. Tensions between the two rivals have significantly escalated following Hamas' slaughter of Israeli civilians on 7 October, which was allegedly plotted with Iranian help. Iranian proxies from Lebanon have also launched missile attacks on Israel.
Israel's recent attack on a building adjacent to the Iranian embassy in Syria that killed several top Iranian military officials is believed to have led the latest round of tensions. In response, Iran launched direct drone and missile strikes on Israel for the first time. In the latest development on Thursday, Israel reportedly launched strikes on Iran, including a military base in Isfahan.