The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word SEAFARERS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
S
E
A
F
A
R
E
R
S
More clues leading to the result SEAFARERS
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "sailors" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case sailors = seafarers.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does SEAFARERS mean?
SEAFARERS noun- A sailor or mariner.
- One who travels by sea.