UN Maritime Organization says 25 sailors died in Strait of Hormuz since February 28

LONDON, November 7. /TASS/. At least 25 sailors have died in the Strait of Hormuz during a conflict between the United States and Iran, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) of the United Nations said. According to the specialized UN agency with headquarters in London, the latest victim of the conflict, which has been going on since February 28, was a sailor from the tanker Velos Sapphire, attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on November 5. The number of attacks on commercial vessels in the region stands at 130, while thousands of sailors remain trapped in the Persian Gulf. Sailors continue to die and suffer serious injuries, to be left to fend for themselves, to lose the opportunity to return home, and to face shortages of essential supplies, including water, food, and medical care, as a result of the ongoing geopolitical conflicts, said IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez. After a five·day meeting of the IMO Council, which ended on November 6, its members called on member states to refrain from unlawful actions that could jeopardize the safety of seafarers and international shipping. Dominguez also pledged to develop new measures that the organization could take to prevent further loss of life and mitigate the humanitarian consequences of the crisis.