A merchant vessel carrying four Indian nationals was struck at Ukraine’s Odesa port, with two crew members confirmed safe while search efforts continue for the other two….reports Asian Lite news Desk
A merchant vessel carrying four Indian nationals was struck at the port of Odesa in southern Ukraine, with two of the crew members confirmed safe while authorities continued search and rescue operations for the remaining two, the Indian Embassy in Ukraine said on Sunday.
The Embassy said it was closely monitoring the situation following the incident involving the merchant vessel MV AGN Ragnar, which was hit at the port on July 25.
“Embassy of India in Ukraine is closely monitoring the situation following the incident involving MV AGN Ragnar which was struck at the Port of Odesa, on 25 July. Four Indian nationals were on board the vessel. As per the latest information, two have been confirmed safe, and information is awaited regarding the other two nationals. Search and rescue operations are underway. The Embassy is in constant touch with the concerned authorities,” the Embassy said in a post on X.
The Embassy said it was maintaining regular contact with Ukrainian authorities as efforts continued to establish the status of the two unaccounted-for Indian nationals.
It also issued emergency contact details for Indian citizens requiring consular assistance, advising them to reach out through its official email addresses or emergency helpline.
The latest incident comes amid continuing security threats to commercial shipping in the Black Sea due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) advised Indian nationals intending to work on commercial vessels operating in or transiting the Black Sea region to carefully assess the prevailing security risks before accepting such assignments.
The ministry said the security situation in and around the Black Sea and adjoining maritime areas remained highly volatile and urged Indian seafarers to exercise the utmost caution.
The MEA also advised prospective crew members to ensure that their employment contracts comply with applicable international maritime standards, including adequate provisions for medical care, evacuation, repatriation and compensation in the event of an emergency.
Indian nationals requiring consular assistance have been advised to contact the Indian Embassy or the country’s consulates in the region.
The latest strike follows a series of attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea, which have heightened concerns over the safety of civilian shipping and international maritime navigation.
