The UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) has temporarily suspended its operation to escort and evacuate ships through the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo vessel came under attack, raising fresh concerns over maritime security despite a preliminary agreement aimed at ending the Iran conflict.
The decision followed reports that a cargo vessel was struck on Thursday while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
A US official told CNN the ship was hit by an Iranian drone, prompting the IMO to halt its evacuation mission for thousands of seafarers stranded in the Gulf since the outbreak of the war. Iran has not claimed responsibility for the attack.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the vessel was hit on its starboard side by an unidentified projectile, causing damage to the bridge. No casualties or environmental pollution were reported. Authorities are investigating the incident, while ships in the area have been advised to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity.
The suspension comes only days after the IMO announced that a US-Iran agreement had paved the way for the evacuation of more than 11,000 stranded seafarers from the Gulf region. Several vessels had already completed the journey under the organisation's escort plan.
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the evacuation programme was being paused to ensure that adequate safety guarantees remain in place before operations resume.
"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," he said in a statement.
Dominguez said he had been informed of an attack on a vessel in the Gulf of Oman after it had passed through the Strait of Hormuz, noting that the ship was not operating under the IMO evacuation framework.
"I have always reiterated that the safety of the seafarers remains paramount," he said. "Therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety, the evacuation plan will be paused until further clarity is obtained."
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