Videos and photos showing the 23 crew members, most of whom are Indians, inside the seized British tanker Stena Impero were released by Iranian state media on Monday.
The video shows the crew members wearing red overalls gathered around a table as a man wearing grey saying "thanks them for their cooperation". Fars news agency stated that the man was an Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
The news report also said that the cameraman ordered the crew to not look at him in the video. It also showed an Iranian flag flying on a British tanker. An Indian captain apparently navigating is also seen in the video.
Other clips showing Indians preparing food in the tanker's kitchen area were also shown in the video.
The Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan, has said that they are working to get the crew released. Consular access to the 18 Indian sailors was sought on July 20.
Vessel ‘Stena Impero’ currently stationed at Bandar Shahid Bahonar, a short distance from Bandar Abbas port. Our Ambassador has conveyed all crew are on board and safe. @narendramodi @PMOIndia @AmitShah @DrSJaishankar @VMBJP @MEAIndia
— V. Muraleedharan (@MOS_MEA) July 22, 2019
The Iranian embassy in India has also assured that the crew of Steno Impero were in 'good health.' "All the crew members including the Indian nationals are in good health, they are still onboard the tanker," the embassy said on Monday.
The British flagged-oil tanker was seized by Iranian authorities last week. The tanker was captured after Iran claimed it collided with a fishing boat and failed to respond to the smaller vessel. The claim was later denied by the UK, which said that the tanker did not violate any international maritime norms.
UK Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt termed the seizure as "illegal" and said the situation "raises very serious questions" about the security of international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz region.
Hunt has also said that Iran considers the seizure as "tit-for-tat situation" following the detention of a 'Grace 1' Iranian tanker in Gibraltar earlier this month. It was seized based on suspicion that Iran violated EU sanctions and was carrying oil to Syria.
