Two killed, Indian among injured after Russian drone strike hits Turkish-owned vessel in Black Sea
At least two people were killed and several crew members, including an Indian national, were injured after a Russian drone strike triggered a fire aboard a Turkish-owned civilian cargo vessel in the Black Sea, authorities said.
The Indian Embassy in Romania said three Indian nationals were among the crew and that one of them was injured and receiving medical treatment.
"We have learnt of an attack today on commercial vessel MV ROYAD MAMMADOV in the Black Sea. As per preliminary information, there have been 2 casualties (foreign nationals) while some crew members have been injured and are undergoing medical treatment in Romania. It is further reported that there are three Indian nationals among the crew members," the mission said in a post on X.
The embassy said it was coordinating with relevant authorities to gather more information about the safety and wellbeing of the Indian crew members.
Indian Ambassador Manoj Mohapatra subsequently spoke to the three Indian nationals and confirmed that they were all in good health.
"Amb @manojifs spoke with the three Indian nationals receiving treatment at Constanța County Hospital. He also spoke with the hospital’s Chief Physician, who confirmed that all three are in good health and receiving necessary care. The Ambassador assured them of all possible assistance and support," the mission said.
The embassy later reiterated that all three Indian nationals were safe.
"We have spoken to them. One of them has been injured and is receiving medical attention. We are in close touch with the hospital authorities. We are extending all possible support for the welfare and wellbeing of the Indian crew members," it said.
The nationalities of the two people who died were not immediately available.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, said on Monday that two Russian drones had carried out a "horrific strike" on a civilian vessel in neutral waters that was carrying corn and owned by Turkiye.
"Azerbaijani and Indian citizens were on board. As of now, unfortunately, we know that the ship’s captain was killed. My condolences. The fate of one other person is still being established," Zelenskyy said.
He said 11 crew members had been rescued, with one of them suffering injuries.
Zelenskyy also said Ukraine had repeatedly put forward concrete measures aimed at reducing tensions and maintaining security in the Black Sea.
"Pressure is needed to restore global food security. And everyone who is genuinely interested in this must help," he said in a post.
The Black Sea remains a major global trade route and has faced serious disruption as attacks on commercial vessels and port infrastructure have intensified during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The incident came a day after a 52-year-old employee of a pharmaceutical warehouse owned by Indian interests was killed in a Russian strike in Ukraine's Sumy region.
Also on Sunday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India had moved beyond merely advocating for a resolution to the Ukraine conflict and had intensified its efforts in recent months by engaging with both Kyiv and Moscow.
Jaishankar made the remarks days after Russian President Vladimir Putin said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had "good ideas" for finding a mutually acceptable resolution to the conflict. (with inputs from PTI)
