20,000 Seafarers Trapped in Persian Gulf as Ships Avoid Strait of Hormuz
Nearly 20,000 people on about 2,000 ships are stuck in the Persian Gulf, unable to safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Oil tanker crews have been waiting at anchor for three months as tensions between Iran, the US, and Israel make the waterway too dangerous.
Nearly 20,000 seafarers are trapped on roughly 2,000 vessels in the Persian Gulf, according to the International Maritime Organization. The ships cannot safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz due to ongoing conflicts involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
Captain Kapoor, who commands an oil tanker in the region, said his crew is entering their third month of waiting for safe passage. "There is a very volatile situation at the moment," he told reporters. One seafarer described how their vessel stopped 200 nautical miles from Hormuz after a drone strike hit a ship ahead of them.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important shipping lanes, with about 20% of global oil passing through the narrow waterway. Iran has threatened to fire on ships passing through the strait amid escalating regional tensions.
Many of the trapped workers are Indian seafarers who report getting little information from their charter operators about when they might be able to leave. The crews remain anchored in place, with some ships staying near Fujairah off the UAE coast.
The Strait of Hormuz is a key shipping route for global oil supplies. When ships can't pass through safely, it affects fuel prices worldwide and leaves thousands of workers stranded far from home with no clear timeline for their return.
Ships will remain trapped until the security threat level decreases and safe passage through the strait can be guaranteed.
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