The Iranian Merchant Mariners Syndicate (IMMS) has reported that at least 44 Iranian seafarers were killed and 29 others injured during recent military engagements involving U.S. and Israeli forces.
The union has formally lodged a complaint with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regarding the civilian casualties, which occurred between late February and early April 2026 .
According to Saman Rezaei, the general secretary of the IMMS, the victims were not military personnel but civilian workers caught in the crossfire of the regional conflict .
The reported breakdown of the fatalities includes 22 commercial sailors, 16 fishermen, and 6 dock workers .
Additionally, nine individuals remain missing, further raising concerns about the safety of civilian maritime operations in the Persian Gulf
The union’s formal complaint alleges that the deaths resulted from deliberate military strikes on Iranian ports and merchant vessels operating within the nation’s territorial waters
These figures, compiled in coordination with the Iran Ports and Maritime Organization, underscore the rising risks for maritime trade in the region
While the IMO has previously emphasized that seafarers must not be targeted, the current reports remain subject to independent verification as diplomatic tensions continue to escalate .
