The 18-member crew from India, 16 of whom were part of an 18-man crew, were detained by Iranian authorities who claimed they were smuggling fuel. The remaining crew members returned to India on 10 February, but the journey involved travelling via land to Armenia and then a flight via Dubai. The ship's captain, Kumar, stated that Iranian authorities removed key navigation and safety equipment from the ship when they seized it, making it impossible to move to a safer location. The crew was evacuated from the vessel on 3 March and remained in a hotel until the land route out of Iran became accessible.