The International Maritime Organization (IMO) said on Friday that it is working with member states and partners on an evacuation plan for seafarers stranded in the Gulf, which will be implemented once conditions are safe.

Briefing member states and the maritime industry on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said that since the beginning of the conflict, the IMO has verified 29 attacks on vessels in the Gulf and around the Strait, resulting in the deaths of at least 10 seafarers and damage to multiple ships.

Around 20,000 seafarers on approximately 1,600 vessels remain trapped in the Gulf and unable to leave, he noted, adding that several vessels have been seized and detained in the region over the past few days.

Dominguez said the evacuation plan includes compiling a list of affected vessels and prioritizing them based on humanitarian needs, while making use of the existing Traffic Separation Scheme as an evacuation corridor once safety guarantees are in place.

"For the evacuation to proceed, all parties involved in the conflict would need to agree to refrain from attacks on maritime assets during the operation," he said.

He said the IMO will continue to engage with Iran and Oman, which have been coordinating transit operations in the corridor.

Dominguez urged all parties to exercise maximum caution, warning of potential mines throughout the Strait and the risk of further attacks on ships. "There is no safe transit anywhere in the Strait of Hormuz," he said.

He added that with the conflict now in its eighth week, supplies on vessels stranded in the Gulf, including water, food and fuel, are expected to start running short.

He called on all flag states, non-governmental organizations, industry bodies and the seafarers' countries of nationality to provide necessary assistance, including remote support, helplines and communication with families, and stressed the importance of ensuring the fair treatment of seafarers in terms of welfare and payment of wages.