Screengrab from Telegram video
A Russian drone struck a Turkish-owned cargo ship sailing to a Ukrainian port in the Black Sea overnight, killing one crew member and setting the vessel on fire, Ukrainian officials said on Monday.
Two other civilian merchant ships were also damaged in the attack.
The vessel, Victress, sails under the Panamanian flag and was carrying a crew of nine from Egypt, Turkey and India.
According to Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration and Minister for Development of Communities and Territories, Oleksiy Kuleba, the drone strike caused a large fire and left the ship with significant damage, making it no longer seaworthy.
The crew’s 58-year-old Egyptian cook was killed in the attack.
Ukraine’s Naval Forces said they rescued the remaining eight crew members, who escaped on a life raft after the fire broke out.
The Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority (USPA) confirmed the rescue and expressed condolences to the family of the deceased sailor.
“Sadly, a crew member died. We express our sincere condolences to his family and loved ones. The remaining eight sailors were evacuated on a life raft,” the USPA said.
The navy said the attack caused a large fire on board the cargo ship and described it as another threat to civilian shipping in the Black Sea.
“This incident once again demonstrates that the Russian Federation continues to violate international maritime law and pose threats to civilian shipping,” the Ukrainian Navy said.
Kuleba said Russian forces also damaged two other merchant ships sailing under the flags of Palau and Belize. No one was injured on either vessel, and both continued their voyages.
According to the USPA, all three ships were heading to Ukrainian ports when they came under attack.
The latest strike comes just days after another Russian drone attack on June 19 that targeted civilian vessels in the Black Sea.
Kuleba said one Panama-flagged ship was hit during that attack, killing one crew member and injuring two others, including one who was left in critical condition.
Another vessel sailing under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis was also struck, leaving three crew members with minor injuries.
He said the repeated attacks on merchant ships threaten civilian crews and international shipping routes used for Ukraine’s exports.
Russian attacks also continued elsewhere in Ukraine.
Regional authorities said one person was killed and three others were injured after a missile strike on civilian infrastructure in the Odesa region. Emergency services said the attack caused a fire at an agricultural enterprise.
In the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, Governor Ivan Fedorov said a woman was killed after a Russian drone destroyed her home. Three other people were injured in the attack.
In Russia, aviation authorities temporarily suspended flights at all four Moscow airports after overnight drone attacks. Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defence systems intercepted 301 Ukrainian drones across the country overnight.
The Black Sea is one of the world’s key trade routes for Ukrainian grain exports and other cargo. Repeated attacks on civilian merchant ships increase risks for crews and shipowners operating in the region and continue to raise concerns over the safety of commercial shipping.
References: KyivPost, newindianexpress
