New Delhi: At least 14 vessels linked to India remain unable to move through the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing tensions in West Asia, highlighting continued disruption in one of the world’s busiest shipping routes. Officials said 13 Indian-flagged ships and one Indian-owned vessel have been stranded on the western side of the strait since the conflict escalated nearly two months ago.
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Amid the disruption, the government said an Indian seafarer aboard a vessel currently under Iranian control is safe. “All Indian seafarers in the Gulf region are safe,” Mandeep Singh Randhawa, director at the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, said. He added that the Indian crew member on the detained vessel has been contacted.
The vessel under Iranian custody, Epaminondas, had 21 crew members on board, including one Indian national. Another container ship, Euphoria, carrying 21 Indian seafarers, was operating in the region but located on the eastern side of the strait.
No Indian crew members were reported on Francesca, the second ship taken over by Iranian forces.
The situation escalated after Iran intercepted two container ships and fired at a third on April 22, in response to US actions at sea. Iranian authorities said the move was retaliation for what they described as a blockade of their ports and the seizure of Iranian-flagged vessels.
The latest confrontation followed the capture of an Iranian commercial ship by the United States in the Sea of Oman.
The detained vessel was initially positioned on the western side of the strait, an area under Iranian control, before shifting eastward, which is considered relatively safer for transit. Ships attempting to exit the conflict-affected zone are required to move towards the eastern corridor.
Accounts differ on the vessel that was fired upon during the escalation. Maritime security firm Vanguard Tech said the ship, sailing under a Liberian flag, had clearance to pass through the strait. Iran’s Tasnim news agency, however, reported that the vessel had ignored warnings issued by Iranian forces before the incident.
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The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) accused the United States of violating a ceasefire and engaging in “armed piracy,” alleging that US forces had targeted an Iranian vessel and disabled its navigation systems.
