MOSCOW, October 3 (HS/RIA Novosti) - Russian diplomatic missions are urging Indian authorities to take measures to free the Russians on the arrested vessel, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told RIA Novosti on Saturday.

At this stage, the embassy in New Delhi and the Russian Consulate General in Kolkata are working with relevant agencies and central and regional authorities of India, urging them to take effective measures to resolve the situation with the crew as soon as possible, she said.

The Cameroon-flagged tanker was arrested off the coast of India in May due to a commercial dispute related to the shipowner's debt to a local fuel supplier. Since then, the vessel, with 23 sailors on board, has been anchored near the port of Paradip.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar