Daijiworld Media Network - Ankara
Ankara, Aug 4: Turkey on Tuesday called on both Russia and Ukraine to take urgent measures to ensure navigational safety in the Black Sea after a Turkish-owned cargo vessel was struck by a drone near Russia's Novorossiysk port, leaving three crew members seriously injured.
The attack took place on Monday when the roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) cargo ship Nadezhda was sailing from Novorossiysk in southern Russia to Samsun in northern Turkey. The vessel was hit around 20 nautical miles (37 km) off the Russian coast. The origin of the drone has not yet been officially confirmed.
According to Turkey's Directorate General of Maritime Affairs, the ship was carrying 22 crew members, including 13 Turkish nationals. The strike damaged the vessel's living quarters and bow, while a fire broke out onboard. Following coordination with Russia's Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) in Novorossiysk, all crew members were safely evacuated to the Russian port by Russian rescue units. Three crew members sustained serious injuries and are receiving medical treatment.
In a strongly worded statement, Turkey's Foreign Ministry expressed serious concern over the targeting of civilian vessels in the Black Sea despite repeated warnings from Ankara.
"Turkey is seriously concerned about the targeting of civilian vessels in the Black Sea despite all of our warnings," the ministry said, adding that it was closely monitoring the condition of the injured Turkish citizens.
The ministry urged both Moscow and Kyiv to take concrete steps to safeguard maritime navigation and prevent further attacks on commercial shipping, stressing that the safety of civilian vessels remains one of Turkey's top regional priorities.
The latest incident adds to growing concerns over maritime security in the Black Sea, where commercial vessels have increasingly come under threat as the Russia-Ukraine conflict intensifies. In recent months, Turkey has repeatedly protested attacks on merchant ships linked to Turkish companies and warned that escalating hostilities could jeopardise regional trade, freedom of navigation and civilian safety.
Turkey has maintained diplomatic ties with both Russia and Ukraine since the war began and has consistently offered to mediate peace negotiations while urging both sides to avoid actions that could further destabilise the Black Sea region.