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Iran: British Tanker 'Ignored Distress Call,' Taken to Bander Abbas

Reuters

   Updated 5:50 a.m.July 20, 2019.

   Agence France-Presse contributed to this report.

   GENEVA --Iran has taken a British-flagged oil tanker it seized in the
   Strait of Hormuz to Bandar Abbas port, where it and its crew will
   remain while an investigation into the vessel's conduct is carried out,
   Iran's Fars news agency said Saturday.

   The Stena Impero was in an accident with an Iranian fishing boat whose
   distress call it ignored, the agency quoted the head of Ports and
   Maritime Organization in southern Hormozgan province, Allahmorad
   Afifipour, as saying.

   It was taken to Bander Abbas, on Iran's southern coast and facing the
   strait.

   "All its 23 crew members will remain on the ship until the probe is
   over," Afifipour said. The crew is made up of 18 Indian nationals and
   five others of other nationalities, he said.

   The tanker's operator, Stena Bulk, said Friday the ship had been "in
   full compliance with all navigation and international regulations," but
   was no longer under the crew's control and could not be contacted.

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