Indian Tanker's Narrow Escape Through Hormuz

0:00On March 31st, an Indian tanker called Pine Gas loaded up liquefied petroleum gas at a port in the United Arab Emirates just before Israel and the United States hit Iran on February 28th. The ship, flagged in India with 27 Indian crew members, was supposed to head home in a week but got stuck waiting nearly three weeks to pass, through the strait of Hormuz. Iran started letting ships through one by one amid the rising tensions. Every day, the crew watched missiles and drones zip overhead with videos showing at least five streaking by at night. Indian officials told them to be ready around March 11th, but it dragged on until March 23rd when they finally got the green light. Through the usual lanes, though, instead Iran's revolutionary garcore sent them on a narrow side channel north of Lurak Island saying the main strait was mined. The crew all had to agree to go, and everyone said yes. No fees, no boarding by the guards, and the Indian Navy guided them through before four warships escorted for almost 20 hours into safer waters.

1:05India depends big time on these sea imports for cooking gas used by millions of households. This tanker carried 45,000 metric tons, originally headed to Mangalore, but rerouted to Visakapatnam and Haldia on the east coast. Iran's calling countries like India, friendly and letting some through with six Indian ships now out. But 18 more still stuck in the Persian Gulf, holding around 485 Indian seafarers as the Indian Navy keeps watch on. Those key sea routes. World news, powered by AI, this is Global News Today.