Bucharest, April 29 /Agerpres/ - Four Romanian sailors are on board of the Maersk Tigris, the cargo ship that was seized by the Iranian authorities in the Persian Gulf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) informed in a press release.

According to the abovementioned source, the shipowner confirmed that the entire crew, including the Romanian citizens, are safe and ready to resume sailing, most probably with the same ship, as soon as the crisis is solved.

"The families of the Romanian sailors were contacted and we keep them informed about everything that happens. Moreover, the shipwoner created a committee that will work 22 hours a day, so as to permanently keep in touch with the crew. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will also stay permanently in contact with the crewing agencies and they will continue with the monitoring of the case, both directly and indirectly, through the diplomatic mission involved, which are in connection with the local authorities," specified MAE.

A commercial ship belonging to the Danish company Maersk, on board of which there were including four Romanian sailors, was seized by the Iranian Navy and was steered towards the Iranian island of Qeshm near the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, because of some unpaid debt, as an Iranian official claimed.

"The order to seize the ship was issued by a court and it has to do with Maersk," the person responsible for maritime affairs with the Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization Hadi Haghsnenas told the Iranian news agency Tasnim, as quoted by the AFP.

The Marshall Islands-flagged Maersk Tigris cargo ship is exploited by the Rickmers Management company in Singapore, while wearing the colours of the giant shipping company Maersk. The ship "doesn't belong to Maersk and is not hired by Maersk," stated a spokesperson for the Danish group. AGERPRES