The Iranian dry cargo ship Rona issued an SOS signal in the Caspian Sea on Wednesday, January 14, prompting a swift rescue operation by Turkmenistan’s Coast Guard Services that saved all 14 crew members aboard.

According to the Press Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, government agencies responsible for emergency response “took all necessary measures to rescue the people on board in accordance with international marine regulations.”The statement emphasized that “due to timely response, all 14 people on the ship were rescued.”

The crew members are reportedly citizens of Iran and India, according to preliminary information from Turkmen authorities.The Turkmen government stated it is “undertaking all relevant procedures in accordance with the international rules” following the rescue.

An unverified image circulating online appears to show the vessel sinking stern-first, though the authenticity of the photograph has not been independently confirmed.

The Rona was reportedly traveling a route commonly associated with transporting weapons and sanctioned components from Iran to Russia, adding a geopolitical dimension to the maritime incident. However, no official statement has addressed the ship’s cargo or mission at the time of the distress call.