The International Maritime Organization has called on governments not to endanger merchant crews. It says hundreds of seafarers were injured in conflicts this year. Al Jazeera reports that many others remain missing and are feared dead.
At least 66 seafarers have been killed in conflicts in 2026, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said in a statement to Al Jazeera. The IMO said hundreds more were injured. Al Jazeera reported that many sailors remain missing and are feared dead.
The dangers follow Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the US and Israeli war on Iran, which began in February 2026. Seafarers have been killed in attacks on shipping in the Black Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.
Tony Patten, the UK representative of the International Transport Workers’ Federation, which works for seafarers’ rights, said conflicts and geopolitical change had heightened existing problems for people at sea. He described it as a horrible year for people at sea.
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has called on member states to refrain from actions that endanger merchant ships and their crews. He urged delegates to raise the effects of conflicts on shipping with their governments and international bodies. The IMO says disruptions to shipping also affect economies, supply chains and everyday life.
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