IMO suspends evacuation of stranded seafarers in Strait of Hormuz after ship attack in Gulf of Oman

Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz. An attack on a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman has forced the IMO to suspend its evacuation plan for more than 11,000 stranded seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz region. (Photo: Stringer/REUTERS via DW)

By Bashir Mbuthia
Thursday, June 25, 2026

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The International Maritime Organisation has suspended its evacuation plan for more than 11,000 stranded seafarers after a commercial vessel was attacked in the Gulf of Oman, raising fresh security concerns in the Strait of Hormuz region.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has temporarily suspended its evacuation operation for stranded seafarers in the Persian Gulf region following an attack on a vessel in the Gulf of Oman.

The decision comes just a day after the IMO announced a large-scale evacuation plan for more than 11,000 seafarers stranded in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

The seafarers have been unable to leave the region since the outbreak of the US–Iran war in late February, which sharply escalated tensions and severely disrupted commercial shipping through the strategic waterway.

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“I have been informed of an attack today in the Gulf of Oman on a vessel which passed through the Strait of Hormuz… Therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety, the evacuation plan will be paused until further clarity is obtained,” Dominguez said in a statement on Thursday.

“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.”

On Wednesday, the IMO chief announced that security guarantees had been secured to facilitate the phased movement of vessels out of the region under regulated procedures.

Working alongside the IMO, Oman subsequently issued guidance establishing a temporary maritime corridor to manage vessel movements during the evacuation.

Under the plan, ships were to be moved in stages through designated sea routes to reduce congestion and minimise the risk of collisions. Vessels assigned to specific groups were to be contacted individually and provided with departure instructions coordinated through the IMO.

Omani authorities also indicated that ships would be allocated specific transit days and required to move in an orderly sequence to avoid disruptions along the busy shipping lanes near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.

Once notified, vessels were expected to proceed to a designated waiting area in international waters before contacting relevant coastal authorities along their intended route to confirm that traffic conditions allowed safe passage.