Photo: Ukrainian Navy / Facebook
A Russian drone attack struck the cargo vessel VICTRESS, sailing under the Panamanian flag, causing a major fire on board. The ship's crew consisted of nine sailors from Egypt, Turkey, and India, according to the Ukrainian Navy.
Due to the risk of the fire spreading, Ukrainian naval crews carried out a rescue operation and evacuated the sailors from the vessel.
“Unfortunately, there were casualties among the crew,” the Navy stated.
Later, Odesa Regional Governor Oleh Kiper confirmed that the victim was the ship’s cook, an Egyptian citizen born in 1968.
According to Ukrainian officials, Russia also attacked two other civilian vessels flying the flags of Palau and Belize. No injuries were reported on those ships, and both remained operational.
The Ukrainian Navy said the incident once again demonstrates Russia’s violations of international maritime law and the threat it poses to civilian shipping.
The attack follows another incident on June 18, when Russian drones struck two foreign civilian vessels, killing one person and injuring five others.
