00:00With the Strait of Hormuz closed, more than 20,000 sailors are trapped on around 2,000 vessels in the
00:08Gulf.
00:08And with Iran's publication of a new map asserting its control over the waterway,
00:14mariners are unsure of when they'll be able to move on from some dire conditions.
00:19Many of them are unable to leave their ships and face dwindling supplies of food and fresh water.
00:26Mohamed Erashidi, coordinator at the International Transport Workers' Federation,
00:31says more than 2,000 sailors have called for help.
00:34We have cases where the seafarers report that they're eating once a day.
00:40Seafarers are saying that they are dealing with dhal and eating rice only.
00:44Seafarers calling us crying. Seafarers calling us worried because they have their family situations.
00:51Many sailors, fearful of a future at sea in a war zone, say they are facing delays in getting paid
00:58and have only brief moments of Internet connection to contact loved ones or seek outside help.
01:05Tehran closed the Strait, a global oil supply route, after U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran began on February 28th.
01:12According to a Reuters report, ship owners seeking to free their vessels and often precious cargoes
01:19must navigate a labyrinth system of payments and permissions set up by Iran.
01:24The seafarers' vulnerability and exposure is more extreme because of the war.
01:39Gulf states are making some efforts to assist sailors by facilitating supplies and crew transfers.
01:45The Saudi Ports Authority has helped hundreds of vessels resupply with food, fresh water, fuel and medicines
01:52and has aided more than 500 sailors to transfer from their ships.
01:57But many more sailors remain isolated at sea with no end in sight.
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