6 bodies found in Iranian diving chamber

TEHRAN – Iranian officials found six bodies in a diving chamber recovered after an oil services ship sank in the Gulf, dashing hopes of discovering survivors in the pod, the website of Iran’s state broadcaster said Sunday.

Sixty people were rescued from the ship Thursday by Iranian navy and local vessels.

As the diving chamber contained its own limited oxygen supply, Iranian officials had held out hopes that the six inside might have survived.

But a port official, Mohammad Rastad, was quoted as saying Sunday: “The oxygen chamber’s door was opened and it was revealed that all six divers have lost their lives.”

The crew of oil services ship included workers of Iranian, Indian and Ukrainian nationalities.

Seven of the workers are still listed as missing, presumed drowned.