"It Feels Like Being Trapped in Prison"… Seafarers Stranded in Strait of Hormuz for 6 Months

As the war between the United States and Iran enters its sixth month, the suffering of seafarers stranded in the Strait of Hormuz is also prolonging.

The British daily The Guardian reported on the 9th (local time), citing International Maritime Organization (IMO) figures, that 6,000 seafarers aboard some 500 ships are currently unable to leave the Strait of Hormuz.

This is the effect of restricted vessel operations as Iran has practically blockaded the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the war.

It is known that nearly 20,000 seafarers were once isolated for weeks around the Strait of Hormuz area, and even after the US and Iran signed a ceasefire memorandum of understanding (MOU) and some ships left the strait, a significant number of them remain stranded.

Some suffered setbacks after entering the strait, judging that the sea route had opened following the signing of the MOU.

Lloyd's List, a British maritime shipping publication, analyzed that among the oil tankers currently isolated in the Strait of Hormuz, 65 vessels entered after the announcement of the MOU.

Most of the stranded seafarers were estimated to be of Indian and Filipino nationalities.

They are under considerable psychological pressure as they are exposed to the risk of successive vessel attacks.

According to The Guardian, 17 seafarers have been counted dead in the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the war, and reports of missing and distressed seafarers are continuing.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said, "Seafarers are not people trained for combat, but innocent people trained just to carry out their duties," adding, "The ships are also not prepared to defend themselves against missiles or drones."

Savio Ramos, general secretary of the National Union of Seafarers of India, pointed out that the plight of seafarers isolated in the Strait of Hormuz is "like being in prison," adding, "Geopolitical uncertainty is placing a massive amount of stress on seafarers."

After the US-Iran MOU agreement effectively collapsed, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has still not recovered.

According to Lloyd's List, during the one-week period from July 27 to August 2, only 52 ships unrelated to Iran passed through the strait among non-Iranian-linked vessels.

Even including 32 ships linked to Iran, total traffic remained at just a little over 10% of pre-war traffic volumes.

While Iran is reportedly in negotiations with Oman, a neighbor adjacent to the Strait of Hormuz, to reopen the strait, The Guardian noted that even if the Strait of Hormuz is reopened, vessels are likely to remain under Iranian control.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.