Ship hit at Ukraine’s Odesa port; 2 Indians safe, news on 2 awaited
Attack on cargo ship in Ukraine leaves four Indians caught in crossfire; two confirmed safe, while efforts continue to trace the remaining crew
London, Jul 26 (PTI) A merchant vessel with four Indians aboard came under attack at Ukraine's Odesa port and two of them are safe, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv said on Sunday.
The information about the other two is still awaited, the mission said.
The incident occurred on Saturday when MV AGN Ragnar was hit at the Port of Odesa, one of Ukraine's key Black Sea ports that has frequently come under attack since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022.
The Indian mission, in a statement, said it is closely monitoring the situation.
There was no immediate information on the source of the strike, the circumstances surrounding the incident or the total strength of the vessel's crew.
"Embassy of India in Ukraine is closely monitoring the situation following the incident involving MV AGN Ragnar, which was struck at the Port of Odesa on July 25," it said.
Four Indian nationals were on board the vessel at the time of the incident, the embassy said.
"As per the latest information, two have been confirmed safe, and information is awaited regarding the other two nationals," it said.
The identities of the four Indian nationals and the nature of their duties on board were also not immediately known.
Search and rescue operations are currently underway, the embassy said, adding that it is in constant touch with the concerned authorities to ascertain the status of the missing crew members and extend all possible assistance.
The security situation in and around the Black Sea and adjoining maritime areas remains highly volatile due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Commercial vessels operating in or transiting these waters face significant security risks, including missile and drone attacks.
"Since April, there has been an increase in the number of such incidents on commercial vessels, which has also resulted in the loss of 5 Indian lives," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in an advisory issued on Sunday.
Odesa, Ukraine's principal Black Sea port, has remained a frequent target of missile and drone attacks.
India has repeatedly advised its nationals to avoid travel to Ukraine in view of the security situation and has been extending consular assistance to Indian citizens in the country since the conflict began.
Indian nationals intending to undertake employment on commercial vessels operating in or transiting the conflict-affected region are advised to carefully assess the prevailing security risks before accepting such assignments, the advisory stated. PTI