The Urgent Mission to Rescue 8,000 Sailors Stranded Beyond Hormuz

While anchored in the Persian Gulf, Abhijit Chopra learned about the US-Iran peace agreement as his phone buzzed with messages from family and friends. As the captain of a crude oil tanker, he struggled to contain his excitement. There were no festivities from surrounding vessels, nor were any ships hurrying towards the Strait of Hormuz.

Chopra and his team of 21 have been trapped since the conflict ignited in late February. Initially, they dealt with fear and uncertainty, which eventually morphed into boredom and an ongoing battle against negative thoughts. For over 120 days, they’ve been waiting, sharing meals, and bonding over karaoke with nostalgic Hindi songs. In early March, Chopra and his entirely Indian crew, with the exception of one Ukrainian member, celebrated Holi, a vital Hindu festival, aboard the tanker, applying turmeric powder on each other’s foreheads from their kitchen.

Signals about the Strait reopening appeared and vanished, prompting Chopra to remain composed. “When they announced that the Strait of Hormuz was open, we felt a glimmer of hope that our vessel might pass through,” he recalled. However, reports of new attacks on tankers made it clear they would be stuck for longer. “A hint of disappointment set in,” he admitted.

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As per the International Maritime Organization, around 11,000 seafarers from outside the region have found themselves stuck in the gulf during the war. They’ve been left vulnerable to geopolitical dynamics and distant diplomatic discussions, trying to maintain their vessels amidst missiles and drones overhead. Their situation underscores the global economy’s heavy reliance on individuals who often undertake extraordinary risks to ensure trade continues.

“Ultimately, we are just ordinary individuals—fathers, sons, and husbands—performing our duty for months at sea,” Chopra remarked. “We do it because it has to be done, and the world’s economies depend on our maritime contributions.”

Vessels at sea facilitate the movement of more than 80% of global goods, valued at nearly 70%, according to the World Bank. Presently, around 2.6 million seafarers operate on a global fleet exceeding 85,000 merchant vessels, as reported by BIMCO and the International Chamber of Shipping. A significant share of these seafarers comes from lower-income countries, particularly in Asia, with the Philippines and India collectively accounting for about 30% of the global workforce.

Maritime work can be perilous and demanding, often leaving crews away from home for long stretches. Working conditions at sea are mainly governed by the Maritime Labour Convention, which outlines workers’ rights and offers protection during extraordinary circumstances.

Nevertheless, adherence to these regulations can be inconsistent, especially within the decentralized shipping industry. While prominent shipowners may comply with standards, those employed on vessels owned by smaller companies might not even possess fundamental rights, as indicated by executives from various support organizations.

“The global shipping framework often creates multiple channels for ownership and operations,” explained Ben Bailey, program director at the Mission to Seafarers. “I could be a shipowner located in London, registering it in Liberia and Greece while profiting from it, thereby leaving seafarers at risk of forfeiting their entitlements.”

When conflicts and crises arise, these rights are often pushed to their limits.

Raman Kapoor, a captain of a Suezmax tanker, oversaw several operations in the gulf in late 2025 and early 2026. He had just 10 days remaining on his tour when war erupted on February 28. After completing a cargo load at Basra’s Iraqi port, an onshore pilot rushed to inform Kapoor of attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

A call soon followed from his employers, instructing him to leave port and head to anchorage in the gulf. “Everything changed,” Kapoor remarked. “Our procedures, next port, ship schedule – all of it shifted. Suddenly, we were in a war zone with no safe exit.”

Contract lengths for seafarers generally vary from four to nine months. In a conflict lasting over four months, many sailors in the Persian Gulf are nearing the end of their contracts and are due for crew rotations. In some situations, seafarers can request evacuation from conflict zones.

However, keeping a large commercial ship running requires around 22 personnel, necessitating careful management of departures and ensuring replacements are arranged.

Seafarers’ wages typically align with established global bargaining frameworks, offering escalations for those in conflict zones—sometimes elevating their monthly pay to as high as $30,000. Nonetheless, it has been challenging for crewing agencies and ship operators to find sailors willing to enter the Gulf.

In the early stages of the war, the Philippines, the largest supplier of seafarers, instructed agencies to halt the deployment of nationals to the Persian Gulf, further exacerbating replacement shortages, although Manila eventually lifted the restrictions. Some Gulf nations, including Iraq and Kuwait, temporarily stopped issuing visas as the security situation deteriorated, hindering seafarers who wanted to disembark from their vessels.

Some sailors reported needing to ration food and water as the conflict began, fearing challenges in resupply. Cooking items and other provisions reached Kapoor’s ship via small supply vessels. The rations, which included snacks, drinks, and cigarettes, could price up to $10,000 for each delivery and last for 1.5 to 2 months.

Ensuring a ship remains seaworthy is no easy feat. The crew performs inspections every few hours, checks equipment, and stands watch for dangers. Technical issues have complicated the use of global positioning systems, requiring visual confirmations of landmarks. Sailors mentioned their routines helped maintain focus and alertness while anchored.

However, life aboard a ship—Kapoor’s measures only 280 meters long and about 50 meters wide—can be inherently limiting. Satellite phone usage is costly and restricted, prompting crews to ration their communication time. Some teams place a weekly call home as those brief conversations become the emotional highlight of their week after months at sea without a specified return date.

For some crew members, fishing has emerged as both a source of entertainment and sustenance. Bored sailors spend hours casting lines from the ship’s side. The catch often goes straight to the galley, where it is prepared for dinner, while extra fish dries in the sun on deck. Ribbonfish are particularly abundant, with several crew members remarking that the homemade dried fish turned out surprisingly delicious—an enjoyable alternative from weeks of repetitive meals.

Captains emphasized fostering camaraderie among crew members and ensuring no one feels isolated—whether during meals or downtime. Many sailors noted tighter controls on knives and other sharp tools, reflecting heightened mental health concerns as uncertainty lingers.

“We strive to keep morale elevated on board—professional, disciplined, and supportive,” Chopra noted. “Yet, there’s undoubtedly a sense of strain and uncertainty after over a hundred days with no clear outlook on what lies ahead.”

Occasionally, stark reminders of the war would present themselves. Shortly after midnight on March 12, Kapoor’s crew were winding down when flames engulfed another tanker, the Safesea Vishnu, merely a nautical mile away. That vessel had been struck by an unmanned craft during a ship-to-ship naphtha transfer, leading to one crew member’s death.

Kapoor’s ship couldn’t navigate away due to the congestion of vessels. The sailors took refuge in a designated safe area, tucked beneath their accommodation space.

“It was a horrifying moment because we are just seafarers. We are not trained for warfare. No one was prepared for what might follow if another missile or drone aimed for our ship,” Kapoor recounted.

Steven Arillo, a navigation and safety officer on a liquefied natural gas tanker, was docked at Qatar’s Ras Laffan facility when Iranian missiles struck in mid-March. The crew had just half an hour to vacate the port, and one crewmate captured video footage of missiles flying over the complex.

His ship, primarily crewed by Filipino sailors, was the last to depart the dock before another barrage of missiles struck the facility, resulting in a significant explosion. Delays of merely half an hour could have led to a direct hit, he believed. “We were fortunate to leave just in time,” he asserted.

Like many others, Arillo and his crew mates sought to return home, but replacements were unavailable, and flights from the region were disrupted. While waiting aboard, he refined his latte art skills, regularly posting on Instagram, all while keeping an eye out for looming threats with binoculars.

“Living in a war zone feels like a ticking bomb,” he explained. “You’re uncertain about what could occur next.”

At least 14 civilian seafarers from countries other than Iran have reportedly lost their lives during the conflict, according to industry assessments, while Iran has claimed around 50 of their own mariners have died.

As the war dragged on, global governments attempted negotiations with Iranian authorities for safe passage. Pakistan successfully rescued around 20 vessels. An Indian tanker was escorted by the Iranian navy following discussions between New Delhi and Tehran. Japan prioritized extraction efforts for vessels linked to them, including crew nationality, while negotiating with Tehran, as informed sources reported.

Whether a seafarer could safely navigate through Hormuz frequently depended on the cargo’s value and significance, the shipowner’s willingness to risk the asset, and their ability to secure expensive insurance.

The shipping community expressed concern over the state-level negotiations and the conditions under which safe passage was granted.

Iran has consistently conveyed during US peace negotiations that it intends to maintain control over the Strait of Hormuz, implicitly threatening vessels that do not adhere to its conditions.

According to Jacqueline Smith, maritime coordinator at the International Transport Workers’ Federation, seafarers’ welfare closely relates to freedom of navigation and maritime laws.

“If Iran demands $10,000 to cross and the company declines, while still expecting the vessel to transit, what happens then?” she questioned. “Do we instruct seafarers to cross in the dead of night, lights off, risking everything?”

In recent years, sailors on ocean-going vessels have increasingly found themselves trapped in geopolitical crosshairs. The Covid-19 pandemic brought the global economy to a halt, leaving thousands of seafarers stranded at sea. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 transformed the Black Sea into a zone where drone attacks on ships became common. The emergence of a “shadow fleet” of aging vessels using false flags or flags from nations indifferent to sailors’ welfare has introduced new risks for crews.

“They represent the industry’s underbelly, potentially abandoning ship when circumstances become too complex, leaving seafarers stranded aboard,” Bailey from the Mission to Seafarers expressed concern. He worries that conflict and danger may become habitual aspects of the industry.

“The biggest concern is the alarming normalization of uncertainty due to the war,” he noted. “Seafarers and shipowners once flinched at the mere sight of missiles and attacks, but now they are beginning to accept what should be deemed abnormal.”

In June, the US and Iran reached a temporary 60-day agreement, including reopening the strait. More vessels are now transiting this critical area—though still far fewer than prior to the onset of conflict.

The IMO announced a short-lived plan to evacuate seafarers, but it was retracted shortly after Iran attacked ships in Hormuz in late June. The initiative succeeded in evacuating 136 vessels and saving about 2,900 seafarers, but left around 8,000 mariners still in the gulf, according to spokeswoman Natasha Brown. “It is still on hold until I can secure necessary security assurances from all parties,” she stated.

Preparing a ship for transit entails a lengthy process, as noted by Angad Banga, CEO of The Caravel Group, which owns Fleet Management Limited, one of the globe’s largest ship management companies.

Initially, ships must be maintained to ensure their seaworthiness, which includes removing barnacles and confirming that all equipment is operational. After that, bunkering plans are developed. Only once it is assured that a vessel is ready to navigate Hormuz does the crew training for the passage begin, including rehearsals for handling potential security challenges, such as the specific phrases to employ when questioned by Iranians during the crossing.

This signifies that much still needs to be accomplished, and time has to pass before many ships in the gulf can venture into open waters.

Arillo’s crew was replaced in May by a team from Indonesia, who successfully navigated the vessel through the strait. Upon returning to the Philippines, he proposed to his girlfriend on the beach. The shipping company treated the crew to a banquet at a Manila hotel and provided complimentary accommodations and water bottles featuring the image of the LNG vessel they manned.

Kapoor’s crewing agency also arranged for his replacement, and in mid-May, a Romanian captain boarded his tanker. After a few days of debriefing and familiarizing him with the ship’s operations and crew, Kapoor headed home.

He took a five-hour boat ride to Basra, followed by a flight to Doha, and continued to Delhi. Upon arriving in his hometown of Manali in the Himalayas, his wife met him at the airport, breaking down in tears. Kapoor held back his emotions. “It was a significant moment for us all,” he concluded.

Chopra remains stranded in the gulf, having been there since late January, awaiting greater clarity. “I’ve urged my crew and myself to maintain optimism, but to be cautiously hopeful,” he expressed. “We must wish for the best.”

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