Stranded at Sea: The Humanitarian Crisis in the Strait of Hormuz

The United States and Israel struck Iranian targets on 28 February 2026, prompting Iran to restrict the Strait of Hormuz. Within weeks, over 20 commercial vessels were attacked, ten seafarers killed, and dozens injured. Roughly 20 000 crew members aboard between 800 and 2 000 ships have been stranded, halting about one-fifth of global oil and LNG flows.

New York Times

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) unveiled a humanitarian evacuation framework on 21 April. Secretary-General Arsenio Domínguez said activation requires a clear de-escalation, confirmation that mines are absent, and assurance that ships will not be attacked. Vessels would depart in order of crew-stranding duration, using the 1968 Traffic Separation Scheme.

IMO prepares evacuation framework as vessels remain stranded near the Strait of Hormuz

Indian seafarer Ankit Yadav, stranded for 2½ weeks in an Iranian port, survived on limited rations and said his employer would not fund an air-ticket, leaving government aid as the only option. Fellow mariner Salman Siddiqui described nightly prayers to avoid projectile attacks and recalled hearing over 100 explosions. Surinder Kumar Chaurasia recounted a four-day stranding before his company secured a safe route from the IRGC, noting drone strikes and fighter-jet warnings.

UsNews and World Report

Greek risk-management firm MARISKS warned that fraudulent messages offering safe passage for cryptocurrency payments have targeted vessels attempting to leave. Shipping firms also balk at the high cost of air-ticket repatriation, as Yadav noted. Industry officials describe the United States’ “reverse blockade” as further complicating any evacuation effort.

Reuters

IMO statements cite roughly 800 trapped ships, while Tehran Times and other reports mention about 2 000. The presence of naval mines remains unverified, a prerequisite for any IMO-approved transit. Although vessels such as the Tema Express and two TUI cruise ships have crossed, several European-owned ships were seized by Iranian forces, highlighting an unpredictable security environment.

IMO prepares evacuation framework as vessels remain stranded near the Strait of Hormuz

The strait carries roughly 20 % of the world’s seaborne oil and a comparable share of liquefied natural gas. Its closure has already tightened global oil markets, raised prices, and heightened energy-security concerns for regions dependent on Middle-East supplies.

Special Broadcasting Service

• “This is about the seafarers. This is about the people,” — Arsenio Domínguez, IMO Secretary-General

Bloomberg

• “The only way out is the government’s help,” he told Reuters by phone.” — Ankit Yadav, Indian seafarer (Reuters)

UsNews and World Report

• “The past few weeks have presented us all with extraordinary challenges,” — Wybcke Meier, CEO, TUI Cruises

New York Times

• “Resolving the Strait of Hormuz crisis is not the responsibility of one country alone, but of all countries.” — Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson

Strait of Hormuz: Man-made crisis and the plight of stranded seafarers

Domínguez said the evacuation plan will be ready once the ceasefire ends and mines are cleared. Shipping firms await a clear de-escalation signal before filing departure requests, while governments continue to negotiate the removal of the U.S. blockade and the reinstatement of regular traffic through the strait.

UN’s Maritime Agency Prepares Hormuz Evacuation Plan for Hundreds of Ships