Turkey Warns Of Black Sea Escalation After Drone Strike Hits Cargo Ship, Injuring 2 Crew Members
Turkey has warned against further escalation in the Black Sea after a drone attack hit a Turkish-owned cargo vessel sailing from Ukraine to Turkey, injuring two Turkish crew members and causing a fire on board.
In a statement on Friday, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said the Vanuatu-flagged vessel was struck on the night of May 28 while travelling from Ukraine’s Odesa region to Turkey carrying dry bulk cargo.
The ministry said it had conveyed its concerns to all relevant parties about the risks created by the recent escalation in the Black Sea and warned against any actions that could lead to an “uncontrolled escalation” of the conflict.
It also said officials from Turkey’s Consulate General in Odesa were closely monitoring the condition of the two injured Turkish nationals.
Ukraine’s navy said Russian drones struck the vessel late on Thursday while it was sailing along Ukraine’s maritime export corridor. According to the navy, the attack caused a fire on board and forced part of the crew to evacuate.
The Ukrainian navy described the strike as a targeted attack on a Turkish-owned vessel. It said two crew members were wounded but did not provide further details about the cargo or the extent of the damage.
Russian authorities did not immediately comment on the Ukrainian allegations.
According to Ukrainian officials, three foreign-flagged merchant vessels came under attack during the latest wave of drone strikes in the Black Sea. One of them was the Turkish-owned cargo ship sailing under the Vanuatu flag.
A drone attack also targeted the Izmail port area in Ukraine’s southern Odesa region overnight. Local authorities said one drone became caught in power lines, temporarily disrupting electricity supply to five villages.
Izmail, located near the Romanian border, is Ukraine’s largest port on the Danube River and has been repeatedly targeted during the war.
Turkey said it remained concerned about threats to regional stability and the possible impact of the conflict on the country.
Ankara also renewed its call for all sides to exercise restraint, ensure the safety of civilian shipping in the Black Sea and pursue a negotiated end to the war.
The ministry added that Turkey remains ready to support practical regional measures aimed at preventing further escalation and helping advance peace efforts.
The Black Sea remains an important route for Ukrainian grain exports and other commercial cargoes.
Security of merchant shipping in the region has remained a concern since the start of the war, with attacks on ports, vessels and maritime infrastructure continuing to affect operations.
Turkey, which controls access to the Black Sea through the Bosporus under the 1936 Montreux Convention, has repeatedly urged both Russia and Ukraine to avoid actions that could put civilian shipping at risk.
The condition of the two injured crew members continues to be monitored, while authorities have not yet released further details about the damage to the vessel.
References: dailysabah, alarabiya
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