Officials meet Indian crew on board tanker seized by UK

Indian officials have met the 24 Indian crew members who were on board shipping vessel 'Grace 1', which was detained by Gibraltar police authorities, and assured them that the government will take necessary steps to ensure their release and repatriation, the External Affairs Ministry said on Thursday.

Iranian oil tanker 'Grace 1' was seized off the Spanish coast earlier this month, by British marines and Gibraltar police.

A team of the Indian High Commission in London met the Indian crew and staff on board VLCC Grace 1 on Wednesday, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said.

"Crew's morale is high. Assured all assistance for early release. HCI London will facilitate necessary travel document and related arrangements," the minister tweeted.

MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India had sought consular access which was granted on Wednesday and a three-member team visited and met all the 24 crew members.

"What we saw was that the crew members were very calm, very composed, and there was no sense of panic. They had been in regular touch with their family members. We had assured them that the government of India will undertake all the necessary steps to ensure their early release and repatriation," Kumar said.

Giving an update on 18 Indians on board the British oil tanker Stena Impero which was seized last week by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the Strait of Hormuz, for what Tehran alleged was a violation of international maritime rules, he said India has called for their early release and repatriation.

"We have sought access. We hope we are granted (access) very soon. We continue to impress upon Iranian authorities to release them so that they can be repatriated," Kumar said.