An American destroyer intercepts a ship on its way to an Iranian port. (Photo: US Navy/AFP)
On Friday, the United Nations (UN) asked that around 6,000 sailors trapped in the Strait of Hormuz be brought to safety and taken back to their home countries. The UN describes the situation as a “serious humanitarian and human rights crisis”.
Volker Türk, the UN’s human rights chief, made an urgent appeal for action to alleviate the plight of thousands of seafarers caught up in the conflict in the Middle East, said Shabia Mantoo, his spokesperson.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) says at least 6,000 seafarers on hundreds of ships were stranded in the strait and could not be removed during the ceasefire. The whereabouts of many others is still unknown at this stage.
Türk calls on governments, ship owners and all other actors to “urgently ensure the protection of stranded seafarers”. This includes consular assistance, the provision of essential supplies and the facilitation of evacuations and repatriation, Mantoo said at a news conference in Geneva.
“Parties to the conflict must urgently work together to ensure safe passage for stranded seafarers so that they can leave their ships and be taken to safety. They must also ensure that essential supplies are delivered,” she said.
The war that broke out at the end of February resumed earlier this month after a ceasefire of only a few weeks collapsed. Iran and the US are still fighting for control over the Strait of Hormuz, which has plunged the region into chaos again.
Attacks on civilian ships
(Argieffoto: Bakr Alkasem/AFP)
The US military maintains that this strategic waterway – through which around a fifth of the world’s oil was transported before the war – is still open to shipping traffic.
However, Iran has intensified its attacks on tankers using this route in an attempt to force them to pay for safe passage.
“Attacks on civilian vessels are unacceptable and must stop. Such ships are protected by international humanitarian law,” Mantoo said.
According to her, seafarers continue to be exposed to hostilities as deadly attacks continue in the strait. They are in immediate danger of being killed or injured.
Since the start of the war, 17 sailors have reportedly already perished.
The UN human rights office says some seafarers have been left to fend for themselves by ship owners. They were left on the ships without support, repatriation or salaries. This applies to at least nine ships with a total of 93 crew members.
“The seafarers were left to their own devices on their ships without food, water, fuel, medical care, electricity or any way to communicate with their families,” Mantoo said.
Concerns about Ukraine
Türk also expressed his concern about seafarers in other conflict zones, particularly the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Shipping companies have suspended services to Ukraine’s Black Sea ports after Russian attacks on the coast increased. According to the UN human rights office, at least four attacks on civilian vessels in the Odessa region have been confirmed this month. A total of 34 crew members were killed or injured in these attacks.
Ukraine is a major exporter of commodities and about 90% of these exports move through Black Sea ports in and around Odessa.
“Seafarers should not be forced to put their lives at risk to sail through conflict zones. Nor should they run the risk of ship owners taking action against them if they refuse such assignments,” Mantoo said.