In a statement on Friday, the ministry said, “Due to the harsh weather conditions and the impact of the waves on the cargo vessel, its ceramic load was pushed to one side of the ship, which has caused the vessel to sink.”
The statement announced that the Consulate-General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Basra has contacted the relevant Iraqi authorities about the situation of the crew members of the ship and has requested an official report on the incident.
A senior official at Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization said necessary coordination has been made with the Iraqi side to send rescue teams after the Iranian vessel ‘Behbahan’ sank off a shipping line between Iraq and Kuwait.
‘Behbahan’ sank on Thursday night in the Khor Abdullah Shipping Channel in the northern Persian Gulf, while en route from Khorramshahr Port in Iran to Umm Qasr Port in Iraq.
He said four crew members have been rescued but two (one Iranian and one Indian) are missing and one has died.
Meanwhile, Nader Pasandideh, another official with the Ports and Maritime Organization, said rescue teams will be sent to join Iraqi teams in searching for those missing.
According to some reports, the vessel sank apparently after hitting some constructions.
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