Sri Lankan sailors rescued in stormy waters in south Iran

Iran’s maritime rescue workers have saved 21 Sri Lankan sailors from an oil tanker that was sinking in the Sea of Oman in southern Iran.

Head of the  local ports and maritime authority in the port city of Jask said on Wednesday that the crew members of the Cook Islands-flagged tanker had been caught in heavy storms when rescuers reached them in an area about 50 kilometers (30 miles) off the port.

“Jask’s rescue and relief vessel was dispatched to the area and saved the 21 crew of the foreign ship,” said Mohammad Amin Amani.

Amani said five of the sailors needed urgent medical treatment when they reached Jask’s shores, adding that all sailors are currently in good health condition.

Stormy weathers have affected waters in the Sea of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy transport corridor where Jask is located on the eastern tip, in recent days.

The bad weather condition has reportedly led to more than a dozen deaths in Oman while leaving behind damage in areas in southeast Iran and in the United Arab Emirates.

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