While the war games continue to play out, there’s another crisis happening inside the Strait of Hormuz.

It is estimated more than 20,000 seafarers have been trapped in the Persian Gulf for more than a month amid the ongoing war with Iran.

Stephen Cotton, from the International Maritime Union, said crews feel increasingly exposed as attacks on oil, fuel and gas vessels intensify amid the conflict in the Middle East.

“It’s that anxiety that you might get hit at any time… There’s a real sense they’re sitting ducks,” he said.

This comes as US President Donald Trump delivered a national address suggesting the conflict could soon draw to a close, while also issuing fresh threats towards Iran.

For the thousands of seafarers caught in the Strait, however, the reality remains far more uncertain, with no clear path to safety in sight.

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