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Four Ukrainian Sailors Repatriated Following April IRGC Detention in Strait of Hormuz
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Four Ukrainian sailors detained in April by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the Strait of Hormuz have been successfully repatriated, the independent Ukrainian news outlet Babel reported on June 24.
The citizens were functioning as crew members aboard the Epimonidas, a commercial container ship intercepted by Iranian paramilitary forces during the US-Iran war. Following the maritime interception, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, alongside the Consular Service Department and the Ukrainian Embassy in Greece, initiated a diplomatic effort to secure their release.
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Ministry spokesperson Georgiy Tykhyi reported in a statement to journalists that Ukrainian diplomats remained in constant contact with the sailors’ families, the Greek shipowner, and international partners to facilitate their return, Babel wrote.
The successful extraction concludes months of complex consular interventions carried out against a backdrop of wider regional tensions involving Iranian maritime interdictions, Babel noted. The foreign ministry confirmed that all four individuals have safely arrived back in Ukraine and have already been reunited with their families.
The ministry further specified that the sailors underwent initial medical evaluations upon their return, determining their physical health to be in satisfactory condition despite the prolonged duration of their detention.
The capture of the commercial vessel occurred when IRGC forces intercepted the ship under allegations of navigational violations, including operating without permits and altering tracking systems. During the interception, the vessel sustained direct gunfire to its bridge before being boarded and seized.
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