"Some 20,000 seafarers are stranded in the Gulf amid the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Stranded at an Iranian port for nearly 10 weeks, Indian seafarer Anish has unintentionally become a firsthand witness to the Iran war. Anish arrived in the Shatt al-Arab waterway on a cargo ship days before United States President Donald Trump launched Operation Epic Fury on February 28. He has been stuck on the vessel ever since."
"We've faced the whole situation here, the war, the missiles, Anish, who was granted a pseudonym after agreeing to speak on condition of anonymity, told Al Jazeera. Our minds are terribly distracted. Some of his fellow Indian seafarers have been able to return home by crossing Iran's 44km land border with Armenia, Anish said, but many others have remained because they are still waiting to get paid."
"Some are stuck because of their Indian agents; they are not getting their salaries, Anish said, referring to the middlemen who recruit seafarers, manage payrolls and take care of other employee matters on behalf of shipping firms. Some are stuck because the Iranian agents say we will not give you the dollars to reach Armenia. Anish said he has been subsisting on a diet of potatoes, onions, tomatoes and flatbread, but has heard that food and water on other ships are running low."
"Before the war, the strait functioned as one of the world's most critical shipping routes, carrying about one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies, and one-third of the seaborne fertiliser trade. Despite the announcement of a tenuous ceasefire between Washington and Tehran on April 7, maritime traffic has remained at a standstill amid recurrent attacks in and around the waterway."
About 20,000 seafarers are stranded in the Gulf after the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed in retaliation for attacks involving the United States and Israel. An Indian seafarer, stuck at an Iranian port for nearly 10 weeks, witnessed war conditions including missiles and ongoing disruption. Some seafarers returned home by crossing Iran’s 44 km land border with Armenia, but many remained because they were waiting to be paid. Delays were linked to Indian agents who manage recruitment and payroll, and to Iranian agents who allegedly refused to provide dollars needed to reach Armenia. The stranded crew subsisted on basic food supplies while reports indicated shortages on other ships. Even after a ceasefire announcement, maritime traffic stayed at a standstill amid recurrent attacks.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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