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Iran's intensified closure of Strait of Hormuz piles misery on stranded sailors

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Iran's publication of a new map asserting control over the Strait of Hormuz exacerbates the plight of thousands of stranded sailors.
  • Over 20,000 sailors are trapped on approximately 2,000 vessels in the Gulf, facing shortages of supplies and fear of attacks.
  • The International Transport Workers' Federation reports numerous cases of pay delays, abandonment, and lack of provisions among seafarers since the war began.

Thousands of sailors remain trapped in the Persian Gulf, facing dire conditions and an uncertain future as Iran intensifies its control over the Strait of Hormuz. The publication of a new map by Iran, asserting its dominance over the vital waterway, risks prolonging the ordeal for over 20,000 mariners stranded on around 2,000 vessels. Many are unable to leave their ships, are running low on essential supplies like food and fresh water, and live in constant fear of attacks in a war zone.

The only thing we do here is plan how to spend the night and pray to God that we do not get hit during an attack.

— Salman SiddiquiAn Indian sailor describing the daily anxiety of being stranded on his ship.

Sailors interviewed by Reuters have recounted harrowing experiences of isolation and anxiety. A resupply mission revealed the profound loneliness of these mariners, with a rare moment of contact occurring when sailors on a tanker gathered to wave at a passing vessel. For nearly three months, since US-Israeli attacks on Iran began on February 28, these seafarers have been confined to small groups, moving between cramped living quarters and scorching decks. With peace negotiations stalled, Iran's effective blockade of the Strait continues, compounded by a complex system of payments and permissions required for passage, managed by Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority.

Seafarers' vulnerability and exposure is more, let's say, extreme because of the war.

— Mohamed ArrachediNetwork coordinator for the Arab World and Iran at the International Transport Workers' Federation, commenting on the sailors' plight.

The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) has become a lifeline for many, receiving pleas from over 2,000 sailors seeking help with disputes ranging from abandonment and delayed pay to a lack of provisions. Mohamed Arrachedi, the ITF's network coordinator for the Arab World and Iran, described cases of seafarers calling in tears due to the extreme vulnerability and exposure they face. The ongoing conflict has created a humanitarian crisis at sea, highlighting the severe impact of geopolitical tensions on innocent civilian workers.

Some seafarers called him in tears, he said.

— Mohamed ArrachediDescribing the emotional distress experienced by stranded sailors.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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