International Maritime Organization suspends evacuation of sailors from Strait of Hormuz

LONDON, June 25. /TASS/. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) of the United Nations suspended the effort to evacuate seafarers stranded in the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was attacked not far from Oman’s coast, the organization’s Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement.

"Following the launch of the IMO’s evacuation plan, through which several vessels have already been successfully evacuated, I have decided to temporarily pause its implementation in order to reconfirm that the necessary safety guarantees continue to be in place for the ships on our evacuation list and all those in the region," Dominguez said.

The official said he had been informed about Thursday’s attack on a vessel in the Gulf of Oman that passed through the Strait of Hormuz.

"This vessel did not transit under IMO’s evacuation framework. I have always reiterated that the safety of the seafarers remains paramount. Therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety, the evacuation plan will be paused until further clarity is obtained," Dominguez added.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center under the Royal Navy said earlier in the day that a cargo vessel came under attack 7.5 nautical miles southeast of Oman’s Dahit. The ship has been hit on the starboard side by an unknown projectile, causing damage to the bridge, but no casualties were reported.

On June 23, Dominguez announced in a statement that his organization will begin the implementation of an evacuation plan for over 11,000 seafarers still stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. This large-scale operation will be carried out in close cooperation with Iran, Oman, all other coastal countries in the region, the United States and the maritime industry. According to the latest data from the IMO, a total of 57 vessels with approximately 1,100 crew members left the Strait of Hormuz from June 23 until the early hours of June 25.