Estonian resident crew member aboard Iranian-siezed ship released, says MFA

An Estonian resident who was on board the MSC Aries, a container ship seized in the Strait of Hormuz on April 13, was released on Thursday and is on his way to Estonia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.
Efforts to secure the resident's release lasted nearly four weeks, Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) said according to a press release.
"I would like to thank all Estonian diplomats and our partners who didn't track their hours while working to secure the release of the Estonian resident these past weeks," Tsahkna said, adding that the crew member's family has already been notified.
The foreign minister added that Estonia is concerned for the remaining crew members as well, and called on Iran to immediately release both the ship and its remaining crew.
According to the ministry, the release of the Estonian resident was achieved thanks to close cooperation with partners and direct communication with the authorities of Iran as well as the shipping company.
Estonia's honorary consul in Tehran had met with the Estonian resident on board the ship, and Tsahkna had also recently spoken on the phone to both Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and President of the MSC Group Diego Aponte. Estonia's MFA had likewise been in close communication with the Iranian Embassy in Helsinki as well as summoned Iran's chargé d'affaires in connection with the seizure of the ship.
The Estonian ministry noted that Portugal contributed significantly to the release of crew members aboard the Portugal-flagged ship as well, which is why the Estonian Embassy in Lisbon communicated closely with the Portuguese Foreign Ministry as well.
Ship seized with crew of 25 aboard
On Saturday, April 13, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Iran's official state news agency reported that the Special Naval Force of the IRGC had seized the MCS Aries, an Israel-linked container ship, near the Strait of Hormuz.
"Members of the force carried out a heliborne operation on the ship's deck, directing it toward Iran's territorial waters," the IRNA wrote. "The Portuguese flagged vessel is operated by the Zodiac Maritime Shipping Company, which is partly owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer."
The Italian-Swiss Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) confirmed the same day that there were 25 people aboard the container ship that had been seized in the Persian Gulf, acknowledging that at approximately 2:43 a.m. UTC, Iranian forces came aboard the vessel by helicopter.
"She has 25 crew on board, and we are working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure their wellbeing and [the] safe return of the vessel," MSC said.
On April 14, Tsahkna announced that the MFA had received confirmation that among the crew aboard the MSC Aries is an Estonian resident.
"We've contacted the individual's family, and together with our partners we're implementing measures at our disposal to ensure that Iranian authorities release the ship's crew, including the Estonian resident, so they can return home," the foreign minister added.
Retaliation following Israel's embassy strike
The ship seizure came amid heightened expectation of an Iranian attack on Israel after Israel's deadly bombing of the consular annex of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, Syria on April 1, the BBC reported, adding that Israel stated on April 13 that Iran would "bear the consequences for choosing to escalate the situation any further."
Overnight into April 14, Iran also launched hundreds of drones and missiles against Israel in what the BBC likewise described as a "widely anticipated reprisal attack."
The IRGC said it had launched the attack "in retaliation against the Zionist regime's repeated crimes, including the attack on the Iranian Embassy's consulate in Damascus."
The embassy attack had been preceded by likewise deadly suspected Israeli strikes on Damascus and Aleppo in March.
According to an Israeli military spokesperson commenting at the time, launches on April 14 "numbered more than 300," but 99 percent of them were intercepted in what was described by Israel as a "very significant strategic success," the Associated Press reported.
U.S. President Joe Biden said that Sunday that U.S. forces helped Israel down "nearly all" of the drones and missiles, and pledged to convene allies to develop a unified response.
Estonia is a member of NATO alongside the U.S.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla