Turkish Cargo Ship Struck by Russian Drone in Black Sea, 1 Dead

A cargo ship operated by a Turkish shipping company was attacked by a Russian drone in the Black Sea, according to Ukrainian authorities.

The Ukrainian Navy stated on June 22 (local time) that the Victress, a Panama-flagged dry cargo ship owned by a Turkish firm, caught fire after being struck by a Russian drone.

Nine crew members from countries including Egypt, Turkey, and India were on board. Although the Ukrainian Navy launched a rescue operation after the fire broke out, some of the crew members were killed, officials said.

According to vessel tracking websites such as MarineTraffic and VesselFinder, the last known position of the Victress was in the Black Sea near Romania.

Oleksiy Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, announced that a 58-year-old Egyptian cook had died, while eight crew members from Turkey and India safely boarded a lifeboat. He also shared a video on social media showing the Victress engulfed in flames.

He added that the Victress sustained severe damage and is currently unable to sail.

Local Turkish media reported that the ship had departed from Istanbul on June 19 and was en route to the Romanian port of Sulina.

Turkish authorities have not yet released an official statement regarding the incident.

The Ukrainian Navy condemned the attack, stating, "This incident once again demonstrates that Russia is violating international maritime law and posing a threat to civilian maritime transport."

(Photo: Telegram t.me/OleksiiKuleba, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.