Abandoned at sea: Thousands of sailors still trapped in the Persian Gulf
About 6,000 seafarers remain trapped on 400 vessels in the Persian Gulf due to ongoing fighting in the Strait of Hormuz. The UN is calling for a safe maritime corridor to facilitate their rescue, highlighting cases where crews have been abandoned without basic supplies.
About 6,000 seafarers remain stuck today, Sunday, on hundreds of vessels in the Persian Gulf, unable to evacuate safely due to ongoing fighting in the Strait of Hormuz. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called on Friday for urgent action to rescue them, warning that some sailors have been abandoned by their employers without food, water, medical care, electricity, or contact with their families.
According to the International Maritime Organization, the seafarers are on board about 400 vessels. Nine ships, carrying at least 93 crew members, have been completely abandoned by their owners since the start of the war. Some are located in Iranian ports or within the Strait of Hormuz area.
The UN stated that the sailors are left on board without basic support, forced to deal with "prolonged isolation and confinement in a combat zone" amid uncertainty regarding their safety. The organization warned that these conditions could take a heavy toll on their physical and mental health.
"The parties to the conflict must act urgently to allow safe passage for the stranded seafarers, so that they can be evacuated and disembark from the ships safely, and also ensure the transfer of essential equipment and supplies," the UN statement said.
The danger to the crews is not theoretical. Last week, two Indian seafarers were killed in a drone attack in the Strait of Hormuz. In June, American forces enforcing a blockade on Iranian ports attacked a ship sailing under the flag of Palau, killing three Indian sailors and sparking outrage in India.
The International Maritime Organization warned this week that attacks on commercial ships are increasing the psychological pressure on the thousands of remaining sailors. Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez called on all parties to show maximum restraint and pursue de-escalation, emphasizing that civilian seafarers are being placed in grave danger.
The Strait of Hormuz Crisis
The crisis began with the outbreak of the war and restrictions on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the only maritime passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the open sea. Hundreds of ships dropped anchor for fear of being hit by missiles, drones, sea mines, or military fire.
In April, the International Labour Organization estimated that 20,000 seafarers were trapped. By June, following partial evacuations, the number dropped, yet nearly 6,000 remain. Some ships are unseaworthy, while in other cases, no party is willing to cover the costs of rescue and repatriation.
Failed Evacuation Efforts
During last month's ceasefire, the International Maritime Organization launched a plan to evacuate 11,000 seafarers. The operation involved coordination with Iran, Oman, the US, and shipping companies. Ships were to pass via two temporary routes, but the operation was suspended on June 25 following an attack on a vessel in the Gulf of Oman.
The plan has remained frozen since. On some days, ship traffic through the strait dropped from 30 to just eight, as fear grew among crews due to repeated strikes.
A Legal Trap
Seafarers are trapped not only by security threats but also by the complex structure of the shipping industry. A ship may be owned by a company in one country, sail under another's flag, be operated by a third, and employ a crew from a fourth. When an owner stops paying wages or providing fuel, responsibility shifts between insurers, flag states, and port states.
The UN and maritime organizations are demanding explicit guarantees that evacuation ships will not be attacked and are calling for the immediate supply of essential goods. As long as no agreement is reached, thousands of seafarers remain trapped between the war and a commercial and legal system that fails to bring them home.
