Russian tugs successfully rescued an Iranian cargo ship after it issued a distress call in the Caspian Sea, ensuring the crew's safety.
Russian tugs rescued an Iranian-flagged general cargo multipurpose/heavy lift carrier after it issued a distress call in the Caspian Sea, reported Fort Lauderdale's Maritime Executive.
The ship, built in 1986, sustained a hull breach after sailing from Amirabad, Iran, and was reported to be taking on water before running aground. Conditions in the Caspian included waves of two meters.
Officials stated that two Rosmorport tugs were dispatched to assist, successfully bringing the ship to berth. Fortunately, the crew was uninjured. The vessel has sailed under multiple flags since its Soviet-era launch, including Togo, Mongolia, Moldova, and Belize, before reflagging to Iran in 2024.
Ukrainian outlets noted increased activity against assets in the Caspian but did not claim responsibility for this incident or a similar one two weeks earlier when the Iranian freighter Rona sank in the Caspian, with Turkmen responders rescuing 14 crew members.
Both ships were operating on regular routes between Iran and Russia. Ukrainian media outlet Crimean Wind described the Caspian as a key corridor for maritime supplies of weapons and sanctioned goods from Iran to Russia.
