The United Nations has called for the safe evacuation of approximately 6,000 sailors stranded aboard hundreds of vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, after weeks of escalating naval hostilities left the waterway littered with disabled ships.
The International Maritime Organization confirmed the seafarers are stuck on hundreds of ships unable to leave the conflict zone. UN human rights chief Volker Türk urged immediate action to address the mariners' plight. Iran has fired on several oil tankers this week, leaving around 400 vessels stranded in the strait.
Since the conflict erupted in late February 2026, 17 crew members have been killed. Ship owners have abandoned at least nine vessels carrying 93 crew members, leaving them without support in the war zone, UN spokesperson Shabia Mantoo said.