TOUSKA
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Crew repatriated and ship handed over for repairs
The U.S. has evacuated 22 crew members held aboard the 'Touska' and was due to hand them over to the Iranian authorities on June 15. The 'Touska', part of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) that has been hit with sanctions by Washington, was boarded and seized by the U.S. off the coast of Iran’s Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman. The U.S. Central Command had said the ship’s crew failed to comply with repeated warnings over six hours, and the vessel was in violation of a U.S. blockade. Iran had condemned the incident as “unlawful and a violation” of international law, and demanded the immediate release of the vessel, its sailors, and their families. The ship was also to be moved to Pakistani territorial waters for return to its owners after necessary repairs.
Crew to be returned to Iran
Islamabad confirmed on May 4, that 22 crew members from the 'Touska', seized by the US would be evacuated to Pakistan and then repatriated. The Foreign Ministry called it a "confidence-building measure" with support from both sides. 15 crew memberd returned to Iran on May 4. Six other passengers had already been transferred to a regional country for repatriation last week. They were family members of some of the crew. The ship remained NUC in pos. 24° 42' N 066° 51' E.
USA released six of 28 crew members
Six Iranian crew members of the 'Touska', which was detained by the US Navy in the Gulf of Oman on April 19, have been released and have arrived in Iran on April 29. The other 22 crew members still remained aboard the vessel, which was disabled by the USS 'Spruance' by shots into the engine room in a,six-hour standoff. Iran denounced the seizure as an act of piracy and accused the USA of violating international maritime law.
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