UN agency pauses evacuation of ships through Strait of Hormuz after vessel hit

Residents swim in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz as a small motorboat passes cargo ships and other commercial vessels offshore near Bandar Abbas, Iran (Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA/AP)

A United Nations agency paused the evacuation of ships through the Strait of Hormuz after a vessel was hit by a projectile off the coast of Oman following the passage of several tankers that used a route backed by the UN.

The head of the International Maritime Organisation said the plan to move stranded ships out of the Persian Gulf through the strait will be on hold until the agency can confirm safety guarantees for the ships on the evacuation list and in the region.