GENEVA, April 13, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Italian-Swiss Shipping group MSC said Saturday that there were 25 crew members on board a container ship seized by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in the Gulf, as tensions soar in the region.

"We regret to confirm that MSC Aries... has been boarded by Iranian authorities via helicopter as she passed the Strait of Hormuz at approximately 0243 UTC this morning," the group said in a statement. "She has 25 crew onboard, and we are working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure their wellbeing, and safe return of the vessel."