Iran's Rajaei port blast toll could be over 300, veteran port technician says

A repair technician with 15 years of experience at Iran's Rajaei port in Bandar Abbas told Iran International that the real death toll from the April 26 explosion could exceed 300 people, including undocumented workers and administrative staff.

"I work as a repair technician and move throughout the entire port," he said. "I know what I’m talking about. The number of dead, including the missing, is over 300."

He said the victims included contract workers from Sina Marine and Port Services company, day laborers who are not officially registered for insurance or taxes, and are paid through off-book bank accounts, as well as undocumented Afghan and Baluch workers who enter the port through side walls to avoid being seen by guards.

He added that 23 women working in the administrative building of the Sina company, located about 200 meters from the blast site, have not been accounted for. "No one has been found from that building—not even the guards or the kitchen staff. Not even the bodies have been returned," he said.

He also described the presence of truck drivers and their companions at the time of the blast. "There were around 80 trucks there, many with drivers' spouses or assistants inside," he said.

The technician said several hours after the explosion, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence officers entered the port and removed or sank around 50 containers that had not exploded but were in the path of the fire. "Some containers were thrown into the sea, others moved to a separate area inside the port complex," he said.