New Delhi/London, July 20 (TIWN) Indians are among the 23 crew members of a British-flagged oil tanker that Iran has seized in the Strait of Hormuz, amid fresh escalation of tensions in the Gulf.

According to a media report, 18 Indian nationals are among the 23 crew members of the British-flagged oil tanker seized by Iran amid fresh escalation of tensions in the Gulf region.  The Stena Impero was seized on July 19 by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.  Iran’s seizure of a British-flagged oil tanker was allegedly due to a collision with an Iranian fishing boat, Iran’s official news agency IRNA said.   Stena Bulk, a Swedish company which owns the vessel, said they have been unable to contact the ship, which was seized in the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway in the region.  “There are 18 Indian and five crew members from Russia, Philipines, Latvia and other countries on board of Stena Impero. The captain is Indian, but the tanker is UK-flagged,” the news agency quoted Allahmorad Afifipour, director general of Ports and Maritime Affairs of Hormuzgan province, as saying.