A strike hit a Liberian-flagged cargo ship in a Ukrainian Black Sea port in the Odesa region on Oct. 3, killing one person and injuring three others, Ukraine’s sea ports administration said.
Thirteen other crew members were evacuated to safety, the authority said. The name of the vessel, the port where it was struck and the nature of its cargo were not disclosed in the initial announcement.
Ukrainian authorities blamed Russia for the attack. Moscow had not publicly commented on the incident at the time of publication, and the circumstances could not be independently verified.
Reuters confirmed the casualty figures, citing the Ukrainian sea ports administration. Vesti Baku reported that the fatality was a crew member.
Black Sea Shipping Risks Rise
The strike came amid intensified attacks on Ukrainian ports and commercial shipping in the Black Sea, disrupting trade routes and weighing on grain and steel exports.
In July, the Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo ship Golden Leo was hit near Odesa while carrying corn. Reuters reported that nine crew members and a Ukrainian maritime pilot were killed. The damaged vessel sank a week later.
The latest incident adds to the risks facing crews, insurers and foreign vessels calling at Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.