Kerala woman Ann Tressa Joseph, part of Indian crew onboard ship seized by Iran, returns home

New Delhi: After talks between India's Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and his Iranian counterpart Amir Abdollahian, Iran released a woman crew member among 17 Indians on an Israeli-affiliated vessel seized by its military. Ann Tessa Joseph, originally from Thrissur in Kerala, safely arrived at the Cochin International Airport on Thursday.

In a statement, India’s foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “With the concerted efforts of Indian Mission in Tehran and the Iranian Government, Indian deck cadet Ann Tessa Joseph from Thrissur, Kerala, who was among the Indian crew members of container vessel MSC Aries, has landed safely at the Cochin International Airport today afternoon.”

Jaiswal further mentioned that the woman crew member was received by the Regional Passport Officer at Cochin airport. He added that the Indian Mission in Tehran continues to monitor the situation and maintain contact with the remaining 16 Indian crew members of the container vessel.

“The crew members are in good health and in contact with their family members in India,” he said.

Additionally, he emphasised that the Indian Mission is actively liaising with Iranian authorities to ensure the well-being of the remaining crew members of the MSC Aries.

It's worth noting that the MSC Aries was seized near the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf of Oman by Iran's Revolutionary Guards on April 13.

Since then, India has been engaging with Iranian authorities at various levels to secure the safety and release of the 17 Indian nationals aboard the vessel.

According to reports, the death toll has risen to 33,970 in Israeli attacks on Gaza since the war began. Another 76,770 individuals have been wounded in the strikes.

In the last 24 hours alone, at least 71 people were killed, and 106 others were wounded.

• Iran
• Israel
• Ann Tessa Joseph
• Kerala