Chennai, Aug 3 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K.Palaniswami on Saturday urged Union External Affairs Minister S.Jaishankar to direct authorities to secure the release of 18 Indian sailors on board oil tanker 'Stena Impero' that was seized by Iranian revolutionary guards.
In a letter to Jaishankar, text of which was released to the media, Palaniswami said Adithyaa Vasudevan, 27, hails from Chennai and was taken into custody along with 22 other sailors when their ship was seized. A total of 18 Indian sailors are currently detained by Iran's Revolutionary Guards.
Palaniswami said Vasudevan, working in the UK-registered ship 'Stena Impero' as Third Officer, was sailing from Fujairah, UAE to Jubail, Saudi Arabia when the ship was seized at the Strait of Hormuz.