The wages being paid for transiting the Strait of Hormuz amidst the escalation

Oil tanker captains traversing the Strait of Hormuz are earning salaries equivalent to $100,000 a month, plus bonuses of up to $50,000 per voyage, amid a sharp rise in navigational risks in the area, the Financial Times reports.

According to three sources close to shipowners and crews cited by the newspaper, companies are offering these sums to persuade mariners to remain on board as attacks on vessels in the Gulf intensify and regional nations attempt to maintain the flow of crude oil through this strategic route. Captains typically earn around $15,000 a month, while some sailors start at $1,500 but can now receive between four and six times that amount.

 The high pay is already known in the sector as "danger money." One source noted that some sailors are being viewed "almost as mercenaries" due to the level of risk.

 According to the maritime security firm Vanguard, at least 14 attacks have been recorded in the last 20 days, including four vessels hit since Saturday. Since February 28, at least 93 ships have been attacked and 24 sailors have died, according to International Maritime Organization data cited by the FT.