Shenzhou-20 astronauts arrive at launch site, prepare to board spacecraft

The three astronauts of the Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceflight mission arrived at the launch site at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China after a send-off ceremony on Thursday, ready to board the spaceship for a flight to the Tiangong space station.

The Shenzhou-20 spaceship is scheduled to blast off from the launch site at 17:17 Thursday (Beijing Time).

The three astronauts, Chen Dong who is the commander of the crew, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, were escorted by a squad of motorcyclists to the launch site and warmly greeted by crowds of people on both sides along the route.

They will complete an in-orbit handover with the Shenzhou-19 trio and stay at the Tiangong space station for approximately six months.

The Shenzhou-20 crew is scheduled to return to the Dongfeng landing site in north China in late October this year.

Shenzhou-20 is the 35th flight mission of China's manned space program and the fifth manned mission during the application and development stage of China's space station.

Shenzhou-20 astronauts arrive at launch site, prepare to board spacecraft

Shenzhou-20 astronauts arrive at launch site, prepare to board spacecraft

Shenzhou-20 astronauts arrive at launch site, prepare to board spacecraft

Shenzhou-20 astronauts arrive at launch site, prepare to board spacecraft

A spokesperson for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said on Monday that the situation in waters near the Strait of Hormuz remains volatile, urging vessels in the area to take maximum caution.

"The situation continues to be volatile. Ships should take maximum caution and not take risks without security guarantees," the spokesperson said in a statement.

According to the information released on the IMO website, as of April 19, a total of 24 attacks on ships in the affected waters had been confirmed, resulting in the deaths of 10 seafarers.

The IMO, the United Nations specialized agency responsible for maritime safety and security, as well as the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships, has called for de-escalation, dialogue, and multilateral cooperation regarding the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Monday that with the U.S. repeatedly violating ceasefire deals and posing threats to Iran’s ports and vessels, a unilateral return to normal shipping remains out of reach.

Also on Monday, the U.S. Central Command claimed in a social media post that the U.S. forces have directed 27 vessels to turn around or return to Iranian ports since its blockade on navigation through the Strait starting April 13.

However, according to a report released from Lloyd's List on Monday, at least 26 vessels involved in Iranian shipping had managed to break through the U.S. blockade.

IMO urges ships near Strait of Hormuz to be on maximum alert