TUNISIA, July 1. /TASS/. Three Russian citizens were on board the oil tanker that was detained by the coast guard of the Libyan port city of Zuwarah (60 kilometers away from the border with Tunisia) on June 29, 2016, the Russian embassy’s counselor, Andrey Silin, told TASS.

"On board the oil tanker the Temeteron, detained 11 nautical miles off Libyan coast on June 29, 2016, there were three Russian citizens: the captain, the executive officer and the engineer. Also, the crew included five Ukrainians and one Greek. The oil tanker had a crew of nine," Silin said.

"By now the ship has been tugged to the port of Tripoli. The crewmembers are at the Libyan air force base Mitiga (in the suburb of Tripoli - TASS). The detainees are being investigated. The Russian consulate maintains contact with the Libyan authorities. The possibility is considered of arranging for a personal meeting with the crew members," Silin said.

As Libyan Naval spokesman, Colonel Ayub Kassem, said earlier, the crew of the tanker flying the flag of Belize, is accused of an attempt to smuggle in 5,227 tonnes of diesel fuel. The drug trafficking and smuggling division of the Libyan Customs is in charge of the investigation.