Ten people were killed as a result of a Russian strike on a civilian vessel near Odesa
Ten people were killed as a result of a Russian attack on a civilian merchant vessel flying the flag of Guinea-Bissau, which was off the coast of Odesa. Among the dead is a pilot from the ‘Delta-Pilot’ branch of the State Enterprise ‘Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority’.
According to the State Enterprise “Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority”, the search and rescue operation continued throughout the night. The fire on board the vessel was brought under control, and eight crew members were evacuated and brought ashore.
Russian forces struck a merchant vessel flying the flag of Guinea-Bissau on 19 July. The dry cargo ship, loaded with maize, was leaving a Ukrainian port and heading towards the Bosphorus.
There were 18 people on board: 17 crew members, nationals of Syria and India, as well as a Ukrainian pilot from the ‘Delta-Pilot’ branch of the State Enterprise ‘Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority’.
According to available information, Russian forces attacked the vessel with three X-59/X-69 cruise missiles. The missiles struck the area of the superstructure on the starboard side, causing a fire.
The Prime Minister of Ukraine, Serhiy Koretskyi, has instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to immediately inform the states whose citizens were affected by the attack, as well as Ukraine’s international partners.
The Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority expressed its condolences to the families of the deceased. The Ukrainian Navy and the Ministry of Recovery of Ukraine stated that the strike on the civilian merchant vessel was yet another attack on civilian shipping.
