Captain, pull out my teeth! Desperate times for sailors stranded by pandemic

Captain Jens Boysen gives an interview in front of the Maersk Line container ship "Emma Maersk" during the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the harbour in Hamburg, Germany July 9, 2020. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer

HAMBURG (Reuters) - Jens Boysen disembarked one of the world's largest container ships on Thursday after 167 days at sea when he has acted not only as captain but also as doctor, dentist, mental coach and entertainment director for his stressed-out crew.

Almost 200,000 seafarers like Boysen are stuck onboard merchant ships, some for more than a year, because coronavirus travel restrictions make it almost impossible to rotate crews, according to the U.N.'s International Maritime Organization (IMO).