Indian crew refuses to cross war-hit Strait of Hormuz

The Forward Seamen's Union of India (FSUI) has released a video in which the Indian master of the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel AM Pioneer, Anil Raj, says the company is forcing its 16 Indian crew to transit the Strait of Hormuz despite security risks. The Hindu reports that the crew has refused, saying they will not sail until the strait is safe. The SOS video was posted on the day reports said Iran is ready to escalate tensions in the chokepoint as talks with the U.S. to end the conflict have stalled.

In a separate account, the Economic Times quotes an Indian tanker captain who was stranded for 75 days in the same waterway. Raman Kapoor, a master with over 28 years at sea, said he and his 23 crew members were anchored near the Strait of Hormuz with missiles flying overhead. Kapoor described the crew's stress, sleepless nights, and fear after an explosion less than a mile from their vessel. He said the crew refused an order to conduct a ship-to-ship cargo transfer after another vessel doing the same was attacked.

FSUI said on X that the owners and managers of AM Pioneer, Alphard Maritime Private Limited, are pressuring the master to force the crew to cross. "No seafarer should risk death for owners' profits or convenience," the union said. The crew has asked to sail only when the strait is safe for all ships.