Turkish ship headed for Russia targeted in ‘Ukrainian drone strike’ as WW3 fears soar | World | News
A Turkish vessel headed for Russia has reportedly been targeted in a drone strike, feared to have been launched by Ukraine.
The cargo ship carrying fresh fruit and vegetables to Russia was struck in a drone attack in the Black Sea, leaving four crew members injured and sparking a fire on board.
The Turkish-flagged roll-on/roll-off (Ro-ro) vessel Nadhezna was travelling from Samsun to the Russian port of Novorossiysk when it came under attack at around 4.30pm local time, approximately 30 nautical miles from the coast.
Four crew members, including three Turkish nationals, were injured in the incident as the blaze broke out onboard.
Captain Yalcin Sahin claimed the vessel was targeted by Ukraine, alleging that between six and seven drones were used in the attack. His claims have not been independently verified.
“We are waiting for assistance. Everyone is safe, but there are injured people,” he said.
The presence of drones in the area reportedly prevented Russian naval vessels from immediately reaching the ship to provide assistance.
Footage circulating on social media appeared to show a Russian patrol boat approaching or alongside the vessel following the incident, although this has not been independently verified.
Neither the vessel’s operator nor the Ukrainian or Russian authorities immediately issued statements confirming the reported attack.
The incident is the latest involving Turkish-linked commercial shipping in the Black Sea since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russian shipping and military assets in the Black Sea, accusing Moscow of using maritime routes to transport sanctioned goods, while Russia has carried out numerous strikes on Ukrainian ports and commercial vessels approaching them.
Turkey has previously warned that attacks on merchant shipping risk expanding the conflict beyond the immediate war zone, as Turkish-owned and Turkish-crewed vessels continue to operate along contested Black Sea trade routes.
