Iran Releases Filipino And Ukrainian Crew From Seized MSC Ship Held Since April

Iran has released eight seafarers from the Greek-managed containership Epimonidas, officials in the Philippines and Ukraine said, more than two months after the vessel was seized by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) near the Strait of Hormuz.

The crew members were among those detained after Iran seized two MSC-operated containerships in April.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said four Ukrainian crew members had returned home and reunited with their families.

The ministry said it worked with Ukraine’s embassy in Greece to secure their release after they had been held since April.

The Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers also confirmed that four Filipino seafarers arrived home late on June 22. The agency said they were in good health and were undergoing medical check-ups.

The department added that two other Filipino crew members had already returned earlier.

Another seafarer is expected to arrive on Thursday, while three others remain in Iran and are waiting for clearance from Iranian military authorities before they can return home.

The Epimonidas, a 94,769-deadweight-ton containership registered in Liberia and managed by Greece’s Techomar Group, was one of two MSC-operated vessels seized by the IRGC on April 22.

The vessel, built in 1998 with a capacity of 6,690 TEU, was about eight nautical miles from Iran when it reported coming under fire.

Per reports, the ship’s bridge was heavily damaged before IRGC forces boarded it. Iran later released footage showing its personnel boarding the vessel and directing it to sail to Iran.

The Epimonidas was seized along with the MSC Francesca, a 174,897-deadweight-ton containership registered in Panama with a capacity of 11,312 TEU. That ship also reported coming under fire before being boarded and taken toward Iran.

The IRGC said both ships had tried to enter the Strait of Hormuz without permission.

Iran has repeatedly claimed that MSC is linked to Israeli interests and has cited those allegations as the reason for targeting the company’s ships.

There has been no information on the total number of crew members aboard the two vessels or whether any crew from the MSC Francesca have also been released.

References: kyivpost, indexbox