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Two Korean trainee sailors stranded near Strait of Hormuz to return home

Published: 22 Mar. 2026, 16:51 Updated: 22 Mar. 2026, 20:29

A cargo ship in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, is seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah, near the border with Oman’s Musandam governance, in the United Arab Emirates on March 11 amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Two Korean trainee sailors on a Korean vessel stranded near the Strait of Hormuz due to Middle East tensions will disembark and return home, the government said on Sunday.

Two crew members from the Korea Maritime and Ocean University are undergoing disembarkation procedures, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

A total of 179 Korean crew members remain in the Strait of Hormuz. Multiple vessels around the world have been stuck in the strait since Iran blocked the waterway on March 2 in response to U.S.-Israeli airstrikes that killed Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei on Feb. 28.

As trainees who leave the vessel during training typically face disadvantages with their future employment, the ministry has worked with the shipping company and the university to allow them to board another ship operated by the same company following their return.

After the ministry informed the two trainees and their parents of the plan, it began the disembarkation process — with support from the shipping company and Korean diplomatic officials in the region — once the trainees requested to return home.

“We cannot disclose specific details, such as the crew members’ return schedule, due to privacy and safety concerns,” a ministry official said.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]