The International Maritime Organization, a specialized United Nations agency, said Thursday it has temporarily paused its evacuation operation in and around the Strait of Hormuz after a vessel was attacked in the Gulf of Oman.
A US official told CNN the ship was hit in an Iranian drone attack, but did not provide further details. Iran has not claimed responsibility.
The pause comes days after the IMO said an agreement between the United States and Iran had opened the way for the evacuation of more than 11,000 stranded seafarers from the Persian Gulf region.
“Following the launch of the IMO’s evacuation plan, through which several vessels have already been successfully evacuated, 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,” IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement.
He said he had been informed of an attack Thursday in the Gulf of Oman on a vessel that had passed through the Strait of Hormuz, adding that the ship was not operating under the IMO evacuation framework.
“I have always reiterated that the safety of the seafarers remains paramount,” Dominguez said. “Therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety, the evacuation plan will be paused until further clarity is obtained.”
Dominguez noted that Thursday is the Day of the Seafarer, and said the moment highlights the need to ensure that efforts to evacuate “the thousands of seafarers stranded in the Persian Gulf” can continue without putting them at risk of becoming “collateral victims in this geopolitical conflict.”
Iran’s Persian Gulf Seaways Management Organization said Thursday that vessels traveling outside its designated routes would not be guaranteed safe transit and would not be covered by insurance or related liabilities. “The consequences of traveling on unauthorized routes will be the responsibility of the owner, operator, and commander of the vessel,” it added in a post on X.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said Thursday that a cargo vessel was struck on its starboard side by an unknown projectile, damaging the bridge. The ship’s master reported no casualties and no environmental impact, the notice said. Authorities are investigating, and vessels were advised to transit with caution and report suspicious activity.
CNN has reached out to the White House for comment.
Trump’s Iran agreement may be a dud, but he’s getting what he wants
The development came as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in the Gulf region to sell the Iran deal to three countries that are likely to be among its biggest skeptics.
Last week, the United States released the official text of the memorandum of understanding reached over the weekend with Iran.
A senior US administration official read out the 14-point document, which spells out provisions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, easing certain financial restrictions on Iran and sets out expectations for addressing Iran’s nuclear program during future technical talks.
US oil prices have fallen to their lowest level since the start of the Iran war after a surge as fighting shut down the Strait of Hormuz.
CNN’s Zachary Cohen and James Frater contributed to the report.
