Just two days after launching a large-scale evacuation of stranded seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz, the International Maritime Organization, or IMO, has paused the operation due to an attack.
The evacuation began on Tuesday in response to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran, which eased tensions in the strategic waterway.
The operation was expected to help evacuate around 11,000 seafarers who had been stranded during the Middle East conflict.
However, on Thursday, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez announced that the operation would be placed on hold.
The decision came after the IMO was informed of an attack on a cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman while it was passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
”I have been informed of an attack today in the Gulf of Oman on a vessel which passed through the Strait of Hormuz,” Dominguez told.
According to an advisory from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO, the vessel was struck on its starboard side by an unidentified projectile southeast of Dahit, Oman.
“Master UKMTO has received a report of an incident 7.5NM southeast of Dahit, Oman. A cargo vessel has been hit on the starboard side by an unknown projectile, causing damage to the bridge,” United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported.
The strait lies between Iran and Oman.
Dominguez acknowledged the event and reasoned the sudden pause, saying that the agency would once again verify their safety guarantees.
“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.
However, he clarified that the vessel involved was not operating under the IMO’s evacuation framework.
“This vessel did not transit under IMO’s evacuation framework,” Dominguez clarified.
He then stressed that the safety of seafarers remains the organization’s top priority and said the evacuation plan will remain suspended until clarification was made from the incident.
“I have always reiterated that the safety of the seafarers remains paramount. Therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety, the evacuation plan will be paused until further clarity is obtained,” Dominguez emphasized.
The UKMTO said no casualties were reported and there were no environmental effects following the report.