Captain Recounts 115-Day Ordeal After Cargo Ship Was Trapped in Strait of Hormuz

Trapped for 115 days, cargo ship captain recounts ordeal in Strait of Hormuz

In late January 2026, the Banglar Joyjatra, a Bangladeshi bulk carrier, entered the Persian Gulf on what should have been a routine commercial voyage before continuing to South Africa. Instead, Captain Mohammad Shafiqul Islam and his crew became trapped for 115 days as conflict engulfed the Strait of Hormuz. He told RFI how the voyage turned into a fight to get his ship and crew safely out.

By RFI