Jamaine Punzalan

A handout picture provided by the Iranian Army office on December 31, 2022, shows Iranian troops during a military drill in Makran beach on the Gulf of Oman, near the Hormuz Strait. Iranian Army office/AFP

Article (news)

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773283981412AFP__20221231__336B7E6__v1__MidRes__IranDefenceDrill.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A handout picture provided by the Iranian Army office on December 31, 2022, shows Iranian troops during a military drill in Makran beach on the Gulf of Oman, near the Hormuz Strait. Iranian Army office/AFP </span></span></span></div><p>Filipino sailor George Miranda was racing to help a stricken vessel aboard the tugboat Mussafah 2 when he last spoke to his wife and young daughter.</p><p>The 46-year-old, whose small ship was struck by a pair of missiles this week in the Strait of Hormuz, is the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/3/10/family-says-filipino-seafarer-missing-after-tugboat-attack-in-strait-of-hormuz-1038">only seafarer from the Philippines known to be missing in the Middle East war</a>, the government says.</p><p>But more than 6,000 others from the country that supplies a quarter of the world&#x27;s sailors are still working in the conflict zone and &quot;surrounding areas&quot;, many waiting for the green light to pass through the now-deadly shipping lane.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/3/8/dmw-seafarers-can-refuse-to-sail-in-warlike-operations-areas-in-middle-east-0831">DMW: Seafarers can refuse to sail in ‘warlike operations areas’ in Middle East</a></div><p>A series of Iranian strikes have effectively <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/10/iran-vows-to-fight-on-and-block-all-gulf-oil-1730">closed the strait</a>, which carries 20 percent of world oil and gas supplies, plunging the global energy economy into crisis.</p><p>For John Winston Isidro, life aboard his VLCC, or Very Large Crude Carrier, has been marked by equal parts monotony and precaution since his ship began playing the waiting game.</p><p>&quot;The crew stopped working above deck, and we installed a double watch on the bridge,&quot; the 32-year-old told AFP, describing off-hours spent scrolling Facebook, playing computer games and watching the occasional movie.</p><p>That routine was becoming normal, he said, though the engine crew was being kept on standby, ready to &quot;fire up our engines&quot; in case of emergency.</p><div><iframe width="725" height="408" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qrt6Ni202cM" title="Iranian supertanker with 2 million barrels of oil sails through Hormuz | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>STRANDED FOR DAYS</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Welbin Maghanoy, whose ship was carrying crude oil bound for Japan, had been stranded for nine days when he spoke to AFP.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s getting boring, and I&#x27;m a little scared, because there are many ships being attacked, mostly oil tankers like ours,&quot; he said from a vessel located 100 nautical miles off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.</p><p>&quot;Those whose contracts are about to end... they really want to go home,&quot; he said of his fellow sailors.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/11/marcos-jr-says-more-fuel-coming-to-ph-0637">Marcos Jr. says more fuel coming to PH</a></div><p>Judy Domingo, president of the 50,000-strong United Filipino Seafarers union, told AFP she had taken hundreds of calls from concerned sailors bottled up in the strait, with food supplies one of the immediate concerns.</p><p>&quot;There are also members expressing their desire to leave the ship. But of course, we cannot get them out of there immediately. We have to consider their location and a safe port for them to disembark,&quot; Domingo said.</p><p>One stranded Philippine sailor who has been posting online videos of his experiences under the name Choi described a vote in which the crew was asked if they wanted to risk passage through the strait, where traffic has slowed to a trickle.</p><p>&quot;Our captain gathered us in the conference room to ask us who wanted to pass through,&quot; he said in a video posted to Facebook and verified by AFP Fact Check.</p><p>&quot;We chose to go home alive,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;There are 27 of us. Almost everyone said they refused to sail.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/3/9/trump-defends-iran-war-decision-as-oil-soars-above-100-0855">Trump defends Iran war decision as oil soars above $100</a></div><p>Isidro, the VLCC sailor, said he was happy his crew had not been consulted about the decision to stay put.</p><p>&quot;Our captain will not risk our vessel&#x27;s safety... It&#x27;s too dangerous,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Let&#x27;s just pray this US-Iran war ends soon so every ship trapped here is able to get out safe.&quot;</p><div><iframe width="725" height="408" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p09nQGzlC7w" title="US says it destroyed mine-laying vessels as Trump warns Iran over Strait of Hormuz | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="827" height="465" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HhFSZ8ggsXo" title="Analyst weighs in on Iran’s new leader, Arab states’ role in US-Israel war vs Iran | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="725" height="408" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HIff9r5svbg" title="Iran says US, Israel attacks on civilians are war crimes, urges UN action | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>More than 6,000 from the country that supplies a quarter of the world's sailors are still working in the conflict zone and "surrounding areas", many waiting for the green light to pass through the now-deadly shipping lane.</p>

More than 6,000 from the country that supplies a quarter of the world's sailors are still working in the conflict zone and "surrounding areas", many waiting for the green light to pass through the now-deadly shipping lane.

Fear, boredom for Philippine sailors stuck in Hormuz strait

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

World

Fear, boredom for Philippine sailors stuck in Hormuz strait

Pam Castro and Cecil Morella,

Agence France-Presse

Published March 12, 2026 10:56 AM PHT

Read More:

ANC promo

Israel

war

US

Trump

Iran

OFW

seafarer

seaman

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

Sign Up

I have read and agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.