Tanker crews offered large bonuses to cross the Strait of Hormuz

Ship captains and sailors are being offered much higher pay to take tankers through the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.

Iran has stepped up attacks on ships, while the United States is also blocking some Iranian shipments through the waterway.

The strait is a key route for global oil and gas, and Gulf producers need ships to carry their exports to market.

Captains can earn up to $100,000 a month, with extra bonuses for each crossing, while other crew members may receive several times their usual pay.

The offers are meant to persuade crews to take the risk, but maritime unions warn that some workers may have little choice.

The International Maritime Organization says at least 24 seafarers have been killed since the war began; accounts differ on the number of ships hit or incidents recorded.

Traffic remains below normal levels, and ship operators continue to face attacks and restrictions as they try to move cargo through the region.