Navy cmdr.:China prevents Iran military presence to rescue Sanchi crew
News ID: 4200394 - Mon 15 January 2018 - 14:10
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/131272/China-prevents-Iran-military-presence-to-rescue-Sanchi-crew

TEHRAN, Jan. 15 (MNA) – Iran’s Navy Commander Khanzadi explained the
measures taken to dispatch commandos to China and the rescue operation on
Sanchi oil tanker.

Iran’s Navy Commander Rear Admiral Khanzadi discussed the oil tanker
collision and the measures taken with regard to it, saying “the collision
occurred more than 8000 mile away from Iran’s sea borders. In the early days
of the collision, we realized that although part of the ship had not caught
fire and it was possible to get on board and start rescue operations, no
measure were taken which made me think that maybe the Chinese lacked the
courage to get on the tanker.”

“For this reason, we recommended to National Iranian Tanker Company and
Ports and Maritime Organization to let us dispatch navy commandos to Sanchi
tanker in order to carry out rescue missions; China must first, however,
prepare the conditions," he explained.

“When we announced our decision to the special forces, many of them
volunteered for the mission which indicates that they are prepared to carry
out missions anywhere in the world,” he said.

Khanzadi said that dispatching armed forces to another country requires
certain official preparations and added “we made our recommendation three
days after the collision, and since China had announced that it will not
admit armed forces in the area, the situation got more complicated. They
announced that Iranian Special Forces must go to the area without their
military uniforms. We accepted that our forces go to the area in any
clothing the Chinese want.”

He said that after the negotiations with the Chinese navy commander, the
Chinese side announced that they will provide Iran with necessary equipment.
The process of attaining visas for the forces took three more days,
unfortunately.

“On the 7th day, our special forces reached the spot where collision had
happened. By that time, however, the tanker had drifted towards Japan’s
waters. The forces were dispatched to the new location, but when they were
being prepared to go up on the deck, a massive explosion occurred, the whole
deck caught fire and the tanker sank to the bottom,” he explained.

Khanzadi offered his condolences to the families of the deceased crew
members.

BS/4200158