TEHRAN, April 17, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Iranian emergency services rescued 21 Sri Lankan crew of a ship that capsized in heavy storms in the Gulf of Oman, state media reported Wednesday.

The Cook Islands-flagged vessel carrying oil went down about 50 kilometres (30 miles) off the southern city of Jask, said the official IRNA news agency.

"A rescue vessel was dispatched to the area and 21 crew were saved," Mohammad Amin Amani, director of Jask Ports and Maritime Administration, was quoted as saying.

"Five people who needed medical attention" were treated by Jask emergency services "and the physical condition of these sailors is good," he added.

Torrential rains have battered the Strait of Hormuz, Oman and the United Arab Emirates since Monday, and floods killed at least 18 people in Oman.