According to the newspaper Sabah, one person was killed and three others were injured in the attack. The deceased was a 54-year-old crew member who was working in the ship’s engine room at the time of the attack. Two of the injured were evacuated by a Samsun port coast guard helicopter and are currently in hospital.
Read more The case of Varėna residents who smuggled cigarettes by balloons has been handed over to court
It is reported that the ship was transporting coal from Russia’s Taman port to Trabzon, located on Turkey’s northeastern coast.
The drone attacked the ship near Russia’s Novorossiysk port, according to Sabah. Despite damage to the hull and engine room, the ship continued its journey and reached Turkish shores.
One of the victims told the publication Deniz Haber that his cabin was the target of the first strike, which trapped the man under the debris. Crew members helped him free himself and carried him to the ship’s emergency department, where he heard a second explosion.
Previously, Ukraine’s unmanned systems forces launched a campaign to destroy Russian-affiliated ships. Robert Brovdi, commander of the unmanned systems forces, stated on July 18 that during Operation “MoloČKa”, Ukrainian forces disabled almost 200 Russian ships. Of these, 118 were in the Sea of Azov, and the rest in the Black Sea.
Read more Ceramics Days in Klaipėda: lectures on tiles and art directions
The goal of Ukrainian soldiers is to cut off Crimea from Russia and prevent Russia from profiting from energy exports.
On Wednesday evening, sources from the Reuters news agency reported that a temporary ban on ships entering and leaving the port of Novorossiysk at night was introduced due to Ukrainian drone attacks.
Earlier, the Russian Ministry of Transport issued an order prohibiting ships from anchoring in unprotected anchorages near the ports of Azov (Rostov region) and Caucasus (Krasnodar Krai) by air defense systems. The ministry explained that this decision was made to ensure navigation safety and preserve the lives of crew members.
Read more ECB made a decision on interest rates
