A Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo vessel has sunk off Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Odesa, a week after Ukrainian officials said it was struck by Russian forces.
The Ukrainian ports authority said the Turkish-owned bulk carrier Golden Leo sank near the port after suffering severe damage while transiting a Ukrainian-supervised maritime corridor towards Romania. Nine crew members were killed in the attack, while eight others were evacuated safely.
The vessel was struck on July 19 shortly after departing Chornomorsk with a cargo of corn. Ukraine’s Navy and Air Force said Russian forces launched three Kh-59/Kh-69 cruise missiles at the ship, with one missile hitting the starboard-side superstructure and causing a fire.
Meanwhile, India’s Ministry of External Affairs has issued a security advisory for Indian nationals seeking employment on commercial vessels operating in or transiting the Black Sea region, warning of heightened risks from missile and drone attacks.
The advisory, issued on July 26, said the security situation in the region remains “highly volatile” and noted an increase in attacks on merchant vessels resulting in the deaths of five Indian seafarers.