COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish shipping company Maersk said on Wednesday the crew of the Maersk Tigris container ship were safe and "in good spirits" after Iranian authorities seized the ship in the Strait of Hormuz the previous day.
Maersk, the world's largest container shipping concern, said it was in dialogue with the Danish Foreign Ministry and seeking more information as it still did not know the reason for the seizure of the vessel.
Iranian patrol boats intercepted the cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz and fired warning shots, raising tensions in one of the world's busiest oil shipping lanes and spurring the United States to send military vessels to monitor the situation.
Maersk said the vessel was diverted in international waters. Iranian authorities quoted by official media said the Maersk Tigris was seized in Iranian territorial waters.
Iranian media cited an official as saying the seizure followed a court order ruling on a complaint about debts made by a private Iranian company.
"We are in ongoing contact with Rickmers Shipmanagement and are pleased to learn that the crew (are) safe and under the circumstances in good spirits," Maersk said in a statement.
"We are continuing our efforts to obtain more information about the Iranian authorities? seizure - in international waters - of Maersk Tigris. We are not able at this point to establish or confirm the reason behind the seizure."
(Reporting by Sabina Zawadzki; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
