: The British owner of a second tanker reportedly seized by Iranian authorities in the Gulf on Friday said the ship had been temporarily boarded by armed personnel but was now free to leave.
"Communication has been re-established with the vessel and (the captain) confirmed that the armed guards have left and the vessel is free to continue the voyage. All crew are safe and well," Norbulk Shipping UK said in a statement about the ship, the Mesdar.
The company said the Liberian-registered vessel was boarded by armed personnel at around 1630 GMT. It did not give any more details about the personnel but said the ship began heading north towards Iran.
The company said that by 2000 GMT the armed personnel had left and the ship was free to continue on its voyage. According to the website Marine Traffic, the ship was on its way from China to Saudi Arabia.
The British government earlier accused Iranian authorities of seizing two vessels in the Gulf, including a UK-registered one, but did not name them.
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