Foreign ministry says closely monitoring crew injured in Black Sea drone attack

ANKARA

Türkiye has said it is closely monitoring the condition of two Turkish crew members injured after a Turkish-owned cargo ship was hit by a drone off Ukraine’s Chornomorsk port.

The Foreign Ministry said in a written statement on June 22 that the Panama-flagged vessel was attacked by an unmanned aerial vehicle in the Black Sea.

“The condition of our citizens is being closely monitored by our Embassy in Kiev and our Consulate General in Odesa,” the ministry said.

The ministry said Türkiye had conveyed its concerns to both Russia and Ukraine over attacks in the Black Sea that threaten Turkish interests and regional security.

It said ensuring the safety of civilian navigation in the Black Sea remains one of Türkiye’s key priorities and called on all relevant parties to take steps to reduce tensions.

Ukrainian authorities said the dry cargo vessel VICTRESS caught fire after the strike.

The ship had nine crew members from Türkiye, Egypt and India on board.

A 58-year-old Egyptian crew member was killed in the attack, while the remaining eight sailors were evacuated and rescued by Ukrainian naval units, Ukrainian officials said.

The Ukrainian Navy said the rescue operation was launched because of the risk that the fire could spread further through the vessel.

Ukrainian officials said the ship sustained serious damage and was no longer seaworthy.

Ukraine blamed Russia for the attack, saying the incident showed continuing risks to civilian shipping in the Black Sea.

According to vessel-tracking data, VICTRESS had departed from Kartal anchorage in Istanbul on June 19 and was heading to the Romanian port of Sulina.

The latest incident follows other attacks on Turkish-owned or Turkish-operated vessels in the Black Sea in recent months, prompting Ankara to warn against steps that could lead to further escalation in the region.