A Russian recorded an audio message from a vessel seized by Iran

A Russian citizen is on board the container ship “Aries” under the flag of Portugal, which was seized the day before by fighters of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Strait of Hormuz. His surname and initials were reported by the Russian Embassy in Tehran. It claims to be in contact with the sailor’s relatives and the Iranian authorities “in order to provide the necessary consular assistance.” The message does not say where the crew is now.

The Vladivostok publication Vl.ru reported that the Russian man on the captured vessel is named Timofey Kolchanov, he is 38 years old, and he is a senior mechanic. Vl.ru and the Shot Telegram channel also published an audio recording made by Kolchanov immediately after the seizure of the vessel and apparently intended for his relatives. He says that machine gunners landed on the ship from a helicopter.

Shot claims that the Russian embassy in Tehran informed the sailor’s relatives that everything is fine with him. Later, the sailor’s wife told “REN TV” that he was able to call his family and assured them that everything was fine with him. The call lasted eight seconds. According to Kolchanov’s wife, she was assured that all crew members are alive and safe, but it is still impossible to contact them.

• The special forces of the IRGC captured the container ship on April 13. After the capture, the ship was sent to the territorial waters of Iran. According to The Times of Israel, the container ship is associated with the London-based company Zodiac Maritime, which is part of the Zodiac Group of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer. Israel accused Iran of state piracy. The seizure occurred several hours before Iran’s massive attack on Israel – as Tehran claims, in response to the Israeli attack on the consulate in Damascus.