US to focus on evacuation of stranded seafarers in Strait of Hormuz

US to focus on evacuation of stranded seafarers in Strait of Hormuz
The Editorial Team May 7, 2026 https://safety4sea.com/us-to-focus-on-evacuation-of-stranded-seafarers-i...

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered remarks on May 5, 2026, at the White House Press Briefing Room in Washington, D.C., stressing that a key goal of “Project Freedom” is to free more than 20,000 seafarers that are trapped due to the conflict.

According to Rubio, the initiative is designed to assist in the evacuation and protection of approximately 23,000 civilians from 87 countries who are currently stranded in and around the Persian Gulf amid an escalating crisis. He described the situation as a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz carried out by Iran, which he accused of endangering commercial shipping, restricting movement, and escalating regional instability.

Operation Project Freedom is a US military operation launched on 4 May 2026 to escort merchant ships, in response to Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The operation was temporarily paused on 5 May.

The operation, as described, is intended to restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global trade route. Rubio framed the intervention as both a humanitarian response and a strategic move, stating that the U.S. is prepared to use its military capabilities to support allies and counter what he called “rogue regimes,” while prioritizing American national interests.

For more than two months now, these innocent sailors and commercial crew members have been stranded out at sea because Iran is conducting something – and it’s not just criminal – it’s criminal for sure, but it’s desperate and destructive, this blockade of the Strait of Hormuz … Rubio said.

Rubio stated that for more than two months, civilian sailors and commercial crew members have been unable to safely exit the region, citing shortages of food, potable water, and essential supplies aboard stranded vessels. He further alleged that some ships had come under fire and that at least ten civilian sailors had died as a result of the situation.

They’re isolated, they’re starving, they’re vulnerable, and at least ten sailors have already died as a result of this – civilian sailors … he stressed.

Characterizing the developments as “piracy” and “economic arson,” Rubio said multiple countries had privately and publicly requested U.S. assistance to secure maritime routes and protect civilian lives. He emphasized that the United States, under President Trump’s direction, would deploy military support to escort stranded vessels and establish a “protective bubble” to guide them to safety.