Saturday 21 / March / 2026
Cuttack: A seafarer remains stranded near Qatar port amid the escalating regional conflict and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, prompting urgent appeals for his rescue from his wife in Cuttack, Odisha.
Speaking to ANI, his wife, Smruti Rekha Sahu, said, "He had a four-month contract. It has now been ten or eleven days, but he has not returned home because of the war in Iran, which began on 20 February. He must cross Hormuz, but at present, he is stuck near the port of Qatar."
She urged authorities to take immediate action to bring the stranded seafarer back safely as tensions in the region continue to escalate.
She said, "We are extremely worried because missiles are constantly being fired. Food and water supplies are running short, and it has already been twenty-one days since the war began. They are facing severe difficulties, and all family members are extremely worried. My appeal to the government- both state and central- is to please rescue them quickly."
Their daughter, Atrika, also voiced her concern, saying, "I am missing my father. I haven't spoken to him for a long time. My message to him is, please come back soon."
Meanwhile, amid the heightened geopolitical tensions and concerns over disruptions to energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, the United States on Friday (local time) announced temporarily easing of sanctions on Iranian-origin crude oil and petroleum products up until April 19 this year, including permitting the sale of Iranian crude and refined products into the United States.
The details of the decision were provided by a statement from the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, which authorised the delivery and sale of crude oil and petroleum products of Iranian-origin, which is loaded on vessels as of March 20.
The statement noted 19 April 2026 as the date till which the exceptions would exist on Iranian-origin crude oil and petroleum products.
It said that with certain exceptions, "All transactions prohibited by the above-listed authorities that are ordinarily incident and necessary to the sale, delivery, or offloading of crude oil or petroleum products of Iranian origin loaded on any vessel, including vessels blocked under the above-listed authorities, on or before 12:01 am eastern daylight time, March 20, 2026 are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time, April 19, 2026."
The statement noted that the transactions authorised by the license also include the import of Iranian-origin crude oil and petroleum products into the United States.
As the conflict with Iran enters its 21st day, the strategic waterway remains effectively closed to most maritime traffic, continuing to pressure global energy supplies and diplomatic relations.
