Iran seizes SKorea-flagged tanker in Hormuz Strait

Iran has seized a South Korean-flagged tanker in the Persian Gulf as it passed through the crucial Strait of Hormuz. The new details emerged after Tehran admitted authorities had stopped the MT Hankuk Chemi over alleged “oil pollution” in the Persian Gulf and the Strait.

Strait of Hormuz: Semi-official Iranian news agencies on Monday reported that authorities had arrested crew members on a South Korean-flagged oil tanker that was seized as it passed through the crucial Strait of Hormuz.

Fars and Tasnim identified the arrested crew on the seized tanker as coming from Korea, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

The new details emerged after Tehran admitted authorities had stopped the MT Hankuk Chemi over alleged “oil pollution” in the Persian Gulf and the Strait.

Satellite data showed the MT Hankuk Chemi off the port of Bandar Abbas on Monday afternoon without explanation.

It had been traveling from Saudi Arabia to Fujairah in the UAE.

The ship’s owners could not be immediately reached.

State TV-affiliated news sites also said the vessel had been carrying 7,200 tons of ethanol.

AP