The bodies of the crew members of the Iranian Nazmehr dry cargo ship who died as a result of poisoning are still in Baku, the Iranian embassy in Azerbaijan told Trend on Oct. 20.

Medical examination of the bodies of Akbar Mansumi Kerim (1989), Seyid Murtuz Mirhuseyn (1986), and Sadzhad Sayad Feriydundur (1990) is underway.

“Due to the medical examination the bodies are still in Baku. After receiving the expert report they will be sent to Iran. Law enforcement agencies are conducting an investigation on the ship,” the embassy said, according to Azernews.

A massive poisoning occurred among the crew members of the vessel sailing from Aktau to Baku. The incident occurred at a distance of 21 miles from the island of Pirallahi, in the central part of the Caspian Sea.

According to the preliminary data, the cause of the poisoning was chemical substance, which was processed grain transported by the vessel.

At 03:00, a border patrol vessel approached the Nazmehr cargo ship, taking on board seven crew members. First aid was provided to them on the vessel, after which the patrol vessel headed for Absheron port.

Doctors were called to provide emergency medical aid. Before their arrival, three members of the Nazmehr crew died.

The rescued crew members were placed in the toxicology department of the Clinical Medical Center No. 1.

Families of those who have died from poisoning on the vessel will receive compensation, Iran's Ambassador to Azerbaijan Javad Jahangirzadeh told Trend on Friday.

The ambassador noted that the vessel on which the poisoning occurred was engaged in the transport of goods from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan.

"The crew of the cargo ship got poisoned on the Kazakh border. They tried to quickly reach the Azerbaijani coast. The forces of the Coast Guard of Azerbaijan came to the rescue and the victims were hospitalized," Jahangirzadeh said.

He added that three Iranian citizens died as a result of the incident. 

Presently, the incident is under investigation. The Iranian embassy is also in talks with the company that owns the vessel, Jahangirzade said.

The ambassador said the bodies of the dead have not yet been transferred to Iran.

SP/PA