Around 20,000 sailors aboard nearly 2,000 vessels remain stranded in the Strait of Hormuz following the outbreak of war between Iran and the combined forces of the United States and Israel, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The trapped ships include oil and gas tankers, bulk carriers, cargo ships, and cruise liners. The IMO reported that at least 19 attacks have occurred on vessels in the area since the conflict began, leaving 10 sailors dead and eight others injured.

The organization previously warned that food, fuel, and water supplies on the stranded ships are running dangerously low. Damien Chevalier, director of the IMO’s Maritime Safety Division, stated in March that such a large-scale stranding of sailors is unprecedented in modern times. The IMO has urged all parties involved in the conflict to refrain from further attacks to enable the safe evacuation of the sailors.

The situation underscores the severe humanitarian and logistical risks posed by the ongoing conflict in one of the world’s most critical maritime routes.