LONDON, June 27 — The International Maritime Organization (IMO) on Thursday announced a temporary suspension of its evacuation operation for vessels stranded in and around the Strait of Hormuz after a ship was attacked in the Gulf of Oman.
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement that several vessels had already been successfully evacuated under the organization’s newly launched evacuation framework. “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 decision came after the IMO was informed of an attack earlier on Thursday on a vessel that passed through the Strait of Hormuz. According to Dominguez, the vessel involved in the incident was not transiting under the IMO’s evacuation framework. “I have always reiterated that the safety of the seafarers remains paramount,” he said, adding that the evacuation plan would remain paused until further clarity is obtained to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety.
Earlier in the day, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said a cargo vessel was struck by an unknown projectile about 7.5 nautical miles southeast of Dahit, Oman. The vessel’s bridge sustained damage, but no casualties or environmental impact were reported. The IMO launched its evacuation framework for seafarers stranded in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, as around 600 vessels carrying approximately 11,000 seafarers remain stranded in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
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