Saudi Arabia transports sick Iranian crew member from vessel to Oman for treatment

Saudi Arabia yesterday said it transported a sick Iranian ship crew member removed from a vessel near the Yemeni port of Hodeidah to Oman for more treatment.

The Iranian was sent to Oman at Tehran’s request after receiving necessary medical treatment in Saudi Arabia, a source in the foreign ministry was quoted as saying by state-run Saudi Press Agency.

The kingdom said in June that it had taken a crew member from a “suspect” Iranian ship north-west of Hodeidah after Riyadh received a request for help from Tehran. At the time, Coalition spokesman Col Turki Al Malki said the Iranian crew member was flown from the Savis to a military hospital in the Saudi city of Jizan, along the border with Yemen.

The crew member was “subjected to a serious injury and his condition deteriorated on board the ship”, which was 95 nautical miles north-west of the Red Sea port. The cause of injury was not specified.

Col Al Malki said Riyadh had received the request from the charge d’affaires of the Iranian delegation to the UN.

He said the assistance was provided “despite the threat represented by this suspect vessel, the hostile acts it [Iran] carries out against coalition forces and the interests of the Yemeni people, and its continued threats to maritime lanes and global trade on the Red Sea”.

Saudi Arabia has often come to the asistance of Iranian shipping in the region, despite political tensions between the rival states.

In a separate incident in early May, the kingdom’s coast guard towed an Iranian oil tanker with engine problems off the coast of Jeddah in the Red Sea.