Deadly Hormuz Attack Kills Four Seafarers as IMO Warns 20,000 Crew Trapped in Rising Gulf War Risks

A deadly attack on a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz has killed at least four seafarers and seriously injured three others, prompting the International Maritime Organization to warn that thousands of maritime workers are now trapped in one of the world’s most dangerous shipping corridors as the Iran war spreads across Gulf waters.

Representational Map Via:WorldinConflict

International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said he was “alarmed and deeply saddened” by the incident reported on March 6, which targeted the vessel Mussafah 2 and resulted in multiple casualties among its crew. The attack adds to a growing list of maritime incidents in the region since hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran intensified.

Strait of Hormuz the last 24 hours.

Unreal.

Source: @MarineTraffic pic.twitter.com/krcT5qp4ik

— HFI Research (@HFI_Research) March 5, 2026

“My thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those affected, as well as the global maritime community mourning these losses,” Dominguez said in a statement, urging all parties involved in the conflict to respect international law and ensure the protection of seafarers operating in the region.

The IMO warned that around 20,000 seafarers remain stranded aboard ships across the Persian Gulf, facing increasing risks as military activity escalates and shipping routes become more hazardous. 

The organization said the crews are operating under severe stress while vessels remain exposed to missile strikes, drone attacks and other security threats in waters that handle a major share of the world’s energy shipments.

Recent incidents show the growing danger. On March 1, the vessel MKD Vyom reported the death of a crew member, while another maritime incident involving the ship Skylight left one seafarer dead, four injured and another missing. 

Earlier the same day, a separate accident involving the vessel Stena Imperative resulted in the death of a shipyard worker and serious injuries to two others.

While global attention has focused on disruptions to oil flows and trade routes passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the IMO stressed that the humanitarian risks facing seafarers remain its primary concern. In addition to ship crews, the conflict is affecting cruise ship passengers, offshore workers and port personnel operating throughout the Gulf region.

The maritime body called on all governments, naval forces and commercial operators involved in the crisis to take urgent measures to safeguard shipping personnel and maintain freedom of navigation through one of the world’s most strategically vital waterways.

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