Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The Strait of Hormuz was closed to foreign shipping due to conflict involving attacks on merchant vessels, disrupting about 20 percent of the world's seaborne oil trade. This closure left around 20,000 seafarers stranded in the Persian Gulf. The UN Secretary-General called for an immediate ceasefire in the region.
After a ceasefire allowed limited access in mid-April, three Chinese divers based in the United Arab Emirates—diving instructor Rui Li, freediver Shanshan Du, and technical diver Jie Zhang—returned to the waters. Du described diving at the narrowest point between the UAE and Oman shortly after the ceasefire. She noted an unexpectedly peaceful and beautiful experience, including a large group of dolphins, without the anticipated signs of conflict.
Zhang observed abundant biodiversity underwater, including soft and hard corals and numerous sea turtles, similar to a nature reserve. However, Zhang also reported increased white debris on the seabed of unknown origin and water around dolphins containing green algae, oil fumes, and floating rubbish—environmental concerns compared to previously clearer conditions.
Li noted that the Strait is not the world's most biodiverse marine area but emphasized that its complex topography supports unusual coral formations and rare species such as seahorses and whale sharks. He also mentioned a boat captain's ability to reliably find and greet a pod of dolphins that seemed to recognize him, highlighting the area's unique ecological and cultural character.