Indian crew member from MSC Aries seized by Iran returns home

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - An Indian woman who was a crew member on the MSC Aries container vessel seized by Iran on April 13 has returned to the country, India's foreign ministry said on Thursday.

The ministry said that its mission in Tehran is in touch with 16 other Indian crew members still aboard the vessel which was seized by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in the Strait of Hormuz.

"The crew members are in good health and in contact with their family members in India," the ministry said in a statement.

The vessel was seized days after Tehran vowed to retaliate for a suspected Israeli strike on its consulate in Damascus on April 1.

Indian foreign minister S. Jaishankar spoke to his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian this week seeking the release of the Indian crew members.

(Reporting by Shivam Patel; editing by Jason Neely)