Distress call records tanker attack as Iran closes Hormuz, stranding thousands of crew members

(SeaPRwire) –   Hundreds of commercial tankers have been left stranded on either side of the Strait of Hormuz following Iran’s closure of the vital maritime passage on April 18, bringing traffic to a standstill and trapping crews amid accounts of gunfire and “traumatic experiences” aboard ships.

Under international law, as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Strait of Hormuz is recognized as an international waterway, granting ships the right of transit passage.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration notes that approximately 20% of the world’s oil supply transits the Strait of Hormuz, establishing it as a crucial bottleneck for global energy markets.

According to the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), Iranian gunboats fired upon a tanker on the same day, and a projectile hit a container ship, causing damage to its cargo.

An audio recording disseminated by the maritime monitoring group TankerTrackers seems to document the incident where a vessel and its crew were fired upon as it neared the strait, featuring a distress call from a crew member.

In the recording, a crew member is heard stating, “Sepah Navy! Motor tanker Sanmar Herald! You gave me clearance to go… you are firing now. Let me turn back!” as reported by TankerTrackers.

Iranian state media acknowledged that warning shots were discharged near vessels to compel them to reverse course, while India’s Ministry of External Affairs expressed the foreign secretary’s profound concern.

Hapag-Lloyd, the planet’s fifth-largest container shipping company, informed Digital that it had mobilized a crisis team while its crews remain confined on ships in the area.

“We have been working from Friday afternoon until today with the entire crisis team to bring the vessels out — in vain, unfortunately,” stated Nils Haupt, Hapag-Lloyd AG’s senior director of group communications.

“Such events can readily result in traumatic experiences. The considerable threat from sea mines has also rendered it almost impossible to secure insurance for vessels traversing the Strait.”

“The crews are in good health, but they are growing more impatient and frustrated. It is deeply regrettable that we were unable to depart today,” he continued. “Numerous ships remain stranded in the Persian Gulf.”

“Our six vessels are anchored close to the port of Dubai, and every crew member is hoping for the situation to improve,” Haupt remarked.

On April 18, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared the strait would stay closed until the United States ends its blockade on Iranian ports, cautioning ships that moving from their anchorages would risk them being labeled “enemy” collaborators.

In previous incidents, Iranian officials and state media have contended that limitations on its oil exports and shipping constitute “economic warfare,” portraying activities in the Strait of Hormuz as a reaction to external economic pressure.

“Approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be considered cooperation with the enemy, and any violating vessel will be targeted,” the IRGC announced in a statement published by the semi-official Tasnim News Agency.

The United States initiated the blockade on Iranian ports to compel Tehran to reopen the strait, with U.S. Central Command stating the measures are applied “impartially against all vessels.”

Hapag-Lloyd reported that its ships have been immobilized for weeks since the initial closure after the war with Iran began on February 28.

“It is essential for us that our vessels can transit the strait shortly,” Haupt said.

“We provide all crew members with unlimited data for video calls to family and entertainment access. The crews are resilient, but after weeks onboard, monotony and frustration are increasing.”

“One crew dealt with an onboard fire caused by bomb fragments. Others have observed missiles or drones in proximity to their ships,” he added.

“They are enduring, but every extra day intensifies the difficulty, monotony, and stress of the situation.”

President Donald Trump stated that Iran had pledged not to shut the strait again; however, following the closure, Trump denounced the situation as “blackmail” and affirmed the U.S. would not capitulate.