The three remaining Filipino crew members of the Portuguese-flagged vessel MSC Aries, seized in the Strait of Hormuz last April, have been released by Iranian authorities, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced on Saturday.
DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac shared the good news at the Saturday News Forum, stating, “We haven’t announced this, but quietly, the three remaining crew members from MSC Aries, seized by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the Strait of Hormuz, have returned home.”
He added, “The three returned recently, just this Thursday.”
On April 13, Iranian forces seized the MSC Aries while it was crossing the Strait of Hormuz, near the Gulf of Oman. Iran claimed the container ship had Israeli links, coinciding with a mass drone attack launched by Iranian forces against Israel.
The vessel had a total of 25 crew members, including four Filipinos. Last May, Iran released one Filipino crew member.