As US and Iranian representatives descend on Islamabad for possible talks, time is taking its toll on seafarers
3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenLaura ZhouPublished: 8:13pm, 25 Apr 2026The United Nations’ maritime agency has highlighted the plight of seafarers trapped in the Persian Gulf, saying the weeks-long closure of the Strait of Hormuz was taking a high toll on the crews.International Maritime Organisation secretary general Arsenio Dominguez said that at least 10 seafarers had been killed in 29 attacks on vessels in the Gulf and around the Strait of Hormuz since the beginning of the US-Israel war on Iran.In addition, several vessels had been seized and detained in the region in recent days while thousands of seafarers remained trapped in the area, Dominguez said on Friday.
“My call is to release the seafarers because they are not at fault,” he said.
“The situation is not improving. I reiterate: there is no safe transit anywhere in the Strait of Hormuz.”
Dominguez added: “I spoke to a seafarer who had been trapped in the Persian Gulf for more than six weeks. Aside from the exhaustion and toll on mental health of the crews, they feel invisible, that they are not valued. There is much more we need to do.”
