Turkish vessel seriously damaged after drone attack in the Black Sea: several crew members critically injured

A new attack on a civilian vessel has taken place in the Black Sea. The ro-ro vessel Nadezhda (NADHEZNA), sailing from the Russian port of Novorossiysk to the Turkish port of Samsun, was seriously damaged in a drone attack approximately 20 nautical miles off the coast of Novorossiysk. The strike caused a fire in the vessel’s bow, and the entire crew was evacuated as an emergency measure.

According to Turkey’s Directorate General of Maritime Affairs, 22 people were on board. Three crew members suffered serious injuries and were taken to Russian territory along with the other sailors. The fire on the vessel continued even after the crew had been evacuated.

Several Turkish and regional media outlets, citing the İHA news agency, reported that the vessel was carrying fruit and vegetables and that the attack was carried out by several drones. According to these reports, four sailors were injured, while the vessel’s captain said that the ship had been attacked by Ukrainian UAVs.

However, there is still no independent confirmation of which side was responsible. Reuters emphasises that it has not been officially established who exactly carried out the strike on the vessel. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.