In a dramatic series of events on the Black Sea, two ships were attacked by unmanned aerial vehicles on Monday evening. A number of crew members, including Turkish citizens, were injured in the attacks with their condition being closely monitored by the Turkish foreign ministry.
Türkiye expressed “serious concern” over attacks targeting two Turkish-owned civilian vessels in the Black Sea, the country’s foreign ministry said.
In a statement on Tuesday, the foreign ministry confirmed that two Turkish-owned civilian vessels Yaşar and Nadezhda were reported to be attacked by unmanned aerial vehicles, resulting in injuries to a group of crew members including Turkish citizens.
The ro-ro cargo ship Nadezhda was struck by a drone around 20 nautical miles off Novorossiysk on Monday, sailing for Turkey’s Samsun, the Turkish Directorate General for Maritime Affairs said in a statement.
The Nadezhda had a crew of 22, including 13 Turkish citizens, according to the authority.
All crew members were evacuated to Novorossiysk, it said Monday, adding that the fire continued to burn onboard.
In an update on Tuesday, the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs reported that there is currently no fire onboard and that necessary planning for the intervention process is underway.
The Turkish maritime authority also reported that 11 crew members from the ship are under medical care in a hospital, while the rest of the crew have been accommodated in a hotel and are in good condition.
It was not immediately clear who was behind the strike on the ship.
Photo credit: Turkish Directorate General for Maritime Affairs
Calling on all parties in the Black Sea, the foreign ministry urged all relevant actors, particularly the warring parties, to “implement concrete measures” to ensure navigational safety in the Black Sea.
“We are deeply concerned that the war between Russia and Ukraine is spreading further into the Black Sea, also affecting civilian vessels, despite all our warnings. Unless preventive measures are taken, the escalation in the Black Sea will have multifaceted negative repercussions, including for food security,” the ministry further said.
Photo credit: Turkish Directorate General for Maritime Affairs
The reported attacks would be the latest in a series of incidents involving Turkish-owned or Turkish-operated commercial vessels in the Black Sea since the Russia-Ukraine war began.
Türkiye has repeatedly warned that attacks on commercial shipping are expanding the risks of the war beyond the immediate conflict zone, while vessels continue to operate in contested Black Sea routes.
The story is under development and more information will be provided as comes available.
