After Indian-flagged tanker 'Bhagya Lakshmi' was forced to turn back from theStrait of Hormuzafter being denied passage by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy, an audio signal has been released where the exchange between the two sides can be heard. The vessel was one of two Indian tankers caught in the escalating tensions in the region.

A video shared by an Iranian journalist on X , shared by Al Jazeera, captures the exchange between the ship's crew and Iranian naval authorities as the crew seeks clearance to continue transit.

"Good evening sir, this is the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy Captain. The Strait is blocked and passage from that is forbidden. There is not any permission for you to use Hormuz Strait. You are ordered to go back to your port immediately. You are ordered to go back to your port immediately. Do you get my message?" the IRGC guard is heard saying.

"Okay, copied your message. I will turn back and there is no persmission to transit Hormuz. That's correct sir?" the crew on 'Bhagya Lakshmi' asks.

Times Now could not independently verify the authenticity of the audio.

One Indian-flagged oil tanker crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, while at least four others trying to transit the choke point turned back after Iran signalled the strategic waterway was closed again. Oil tanker Desh Garima appeared to have successfully crossed the Strait on Saturday, ship tracking data showed. The Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) tanker is the 10th India-flagged vessel to have crossed the Strait since early March.

As of Saturday evening, it was sailing in the Gulf of Oman, according to ship tracking data from maritime data and intelligence platform MarineTraffic.

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MarineTraffic data showed oil tankers Sanmar Herald, Desh Vaibhav and Desh Vibhor, along with bulk carrier Jag Arnav, reversing course near the chokepoint, taking the number of India-flagged ships in the Persian Gulf to 14.

According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a tanker reported being approached by two Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps gunboats and fired upon about 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman. This may have prompted the Indian vessels to turn back.

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