Strait of Hormuz: The escalating conflict in West Asia is now taking a severe humanitarian toll on seafarers, with several stranded near the Strait of Hormuz. Among them is an Indian sailor struggling to survive aboard a refuelling vessel, as supplies reportedly run dangerously low and uncertainty continues to grow.
‘We Don’t Have Enough Water’: Sailor’s Ordeal At Sea
Pereira, an Indian crew member stuck aboard a small vessel near the Iranian coastline, described the worsening conditions. With limited access to essentials, the crew has been forced to improvise to meet basic needs.
“We don’t have enough water on board right now. We got food a few days back,” Pereira, who asked to be identified only by his last name, told news agency AFP.
“Till yesterday we had proper drinking water and fresh water for baths and stuff. But now since drinking water is over, we have contacted the owner for the drinking water and I hope they get it by today or tomorrow. Till then, we are boiling the water for drinking,” he further said.
“We just want to leave and go home,” he said, “I won’t be coming to sea again after what I’ve seen now. This first trip has been really horrible.”
Crews Struggle As Supplies Dwindle
The crisis extends beyond a single vessel. A ship captain stationed near Ras Laffan in Qatar highlighted the logistical challenges facing crews stranded in the region.
Requesting anonymity, the captain said that a significant portion of his crew had already disembarked, leaving fewer hands on board. Maintaining adequate supplies has become increasingly difficult.
“That would require a provision top-up every 10 to 15 days,” the captain told AFP.
While his vessel managed to restock recently, uncertainty looms over future resupply efforts.
“Last week, we managed to load up with provisions and water, but will it be possible in one week from now?” he added.
Several Stranded As Hormuz Remains Disrupted
Vessels remain anchored near the Strait of Hormuz as ongoing tensions continue to disrupt key shipping routes, leaving thousands of seafarers stuck at sea with no clear timeline for movement to resume.
Iran has allowed limited transit for ships from select countries such as India, Pakistan and Turkey, but strict controls remain in place. Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, noted that several nations have requested safe passage, adding Tehran had been “approached by a number of countries” and that it was “up to our military to decide”.
With uncertainty persisting, concerns are growing over the worsening conditions faced by stranded crews, highlighting the human impact of the ongoing conflict.
