Iran said on Wednesday that 54 seafarers had been killed, 66 injured and seven remained missing in maritime incidents linked to the conflict in the Middle East and related maritime restrictions, according to figures presented at a meeting of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Addressing the 76th session of the IMO Technical Cooperation Committee, an Iranian representative said the incidents had affected a total of 360 vessels, including 253 that were sunk or otherwise totally destroyed.
The representative said the conflict and related maritime restrictions had severely affected ships, seafarers, port operations, search and rescue services, emergency response systems, vessel traffic services, communications facilities and maritime safety infrastructure.
According to the figures presented by Iran, 28 seafarers were taken hostage since the end of February, five of whom remain in captivity.
The representative also reported damage to four maritime operations buildings, four vessel traffic service control stations and eight communications relay units, describing them as critical facilities for safe navigation, emergency coordination and maritime traffic management.
In a document submitted to the committee on June 8, Iran said a U.S. measure entitled "U.S. to Blockade Ships Entering or Exiting Iranian Ports," together with related restrictions, had disrupted commercial shipping, port access, voyage planning, navigational safety and the movement of ships and seafarers.
According to a report from British maritime analytics firm Windward published on Wednesday, five Iran-trading liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers recently broke the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, with four delivering cargoes to India and one to Pakistan.
Since April 13, the U.S. has imposed a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz on all ships trying to enter or leave Iranian ports, aiming to exert pressure on the country.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on May 29 that the so-called U.S. naval blockade was unlawful from the start, and violated a ceasefire agreement and undermined the freedom of international navigation.
Iran reports 54 seafarer deaths, 253 vessels destroyed since conflict with US, Israel begins
