6,000 Sailors Trapped in Hormuz Crisis as 24 Ships Attacked in Two Weeks, UN Maritime Chief Warns

Around 6,000 seafarers remain trapped near the Strait of Hormuz, and 24 ships have been attacked on the waterway over roughly two weeks. The United Nations' top maritime official issued the warning on Sunday, at a time when Iran has accused the U.S. military of using an international emergency radio channel to threaten civilian crews.

International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the situation continues to be severe and critical when it comes to international shipping. In his words, there is a double blockade and too many vessels have been attacked, particularly in recent days.

Dominguez said seafarers have continued to perish in these attacks and around 6,000 seafarers remain trapped since the beginning of the conflict. His message was not to transit the Strait of Hormuz or put seafarers at risk until there are guarantees.

Before the warning, in an October 9 letter to the IMO, Iran alleged that the U.S. military had repeatedly occupied VHF Channel 16, an internationally designated maritime distress and safety channel, for prolonged periods in the Persian Gulf.

The letter stated that during such transmissions, Iranian seafarers were addressed in Persian with threatening, abusive and provocative language, and in certain instances were urged to abandon their vessels.

Tehran also accused American forces of turning the maritime safety channel into an instrument of military intimidation and psychological pressure against civilian crews. The complaint was submitted by Seyed Ali Mousavi, Iran's ambassador to the IMO, and circulated to member states.

However, although the letter cited commercial vessels, shipping companies and maritime operators, it provided no recordings, transcripts or specific details of the alleged exchanges. The accusations could not be independently verified either.

U.S. Central Command, for its part, defended its enforcement of the naval blockade of Iranian ports. It said the blockade has been in place for months and is professionally communicated to all international mariners, and that vessels refusing to comply receive multiple warnings with ample opportunity to comply.

Dominguez said seafarers are not trained for combat, and they are not guilty of any conflicts happening around the world. He also commented that Channel 16, which should not be used for this kind of communication, has in several parts of the world started receiving messages that may be perceived as threatening or outside the remit of why it was created.

The IMO had recorded 100 confirmed maritime incidents across the region as of October 9, with 24 seafarers killed since the conflict began on February 28. Dominguez also warned that fraudulent ship registrations and false flags have become major contributors to the danger, saying irresponsible shipowners are taking the risk to move goods and cargoes.

Iran also asked the IMO to raise its allegations with member states and relevant international organizations, potentially including the International Telecommunication Union. Dominguez said the IMO could review its regulations and procedures to determine whether stronger safeguards are needed, though he did not announce a formal investigation.

Despite the confrontation, Dominguez said diplomatic channels with Iran remain open, though he has no direct contact with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. In his words, information flows, but final decisions are difficult because of the ongoing conflict. For now his position is clear: any single vessel attacked, or any single seafarer's life lost, is a critical situation for him.