India bans seafarers from Strait of Hormuz after two killed

India's Directorate General of Shipping on July 16 issued an order barring Indian seafarers from working aboard any ship scheduled to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. No date was given for when it might end. The directive said: 'until further orders.'

Two Indian sailors had died in the region over recent days. On July 14, Iranian missiles struck the UAE ships Mombasa and Al Bahyah in the strait. One crew member was killed. Forty-five seafarers were rescued in total from the two ships. Nine Indian sailors were still receiving treatment in the Northern Emirates.

India's External Affairs Ministry condemned the attacks and called for the restoration of freedom of navigation in the waterway. The country is the world's third-largest source of maritime labour. More than 300,000 Indian nationals work on global fleets. Many pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which carries roughly a fifth of the world's oil.