Eight crew members detained after Iran seized the containership Epaminondas in the Strait of Hormuz have been repatriated to Ukraine and the Philippines, while several other seafarers remain in Iran awaiting clearance to return home. The first confirmed repatriations involve four Ukrainian and four Filipino seafarers.
The MV Epaminondas carried a crew of 21, including Ukrainian and Filipino seafarers, when it was intercepted on April 22. According to reports from the crew, an IRGC gunboat approached the vessel about 20 nautical miles off Oman’s coast without prior radio communication and opened fire, damaging the bridge before armed personnel boarded the ship and escorted it to Iran.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Wednesday that the four Ukrainian nationals have safely returned home after weeks of diplomatic efforts. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the seafarers have reunited with their families and are in satisfactory health. He added that Ukraine’s Consular Service Department and the Ukrainian Embassy in Greece had remained in constant contact with the crew’s families, the Greek shipowner and other parties involved throughout the detention.
The Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced that four Filipino crew members also arrived home on 22 June. They joined two colleagues who had already returned and are undergoing medical assessment.
According to the DMW, all six seafarers have now been reunited with their families. Another Filipino crew member is expected to return shortly, while the remaining three are still awaiting authorization from Iranian military authorities before they can leave the country.
It remains unclear when the remaining crew members aboard the MV Epaminondas will be released.
The MV Epaminondas was one of two containerships intercepted on April 22 while attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz. The second vessel was the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca. Iranian authorities claimed both ships had attempted to transit the waterway without the required authorization, committed repeated violations and tampered with their navigation systems. The vessels’ operators have disputed those allegations.
Authorities have provided no information on the status of the MSC Francesca crew or whether any repatriations are planned.
