Russian drones leave at least 30 mariners dead or missing in Black Sea
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Egypt Independent
Russian drone attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea have killed or left at least 30 mariners missing in recent weeks, according to maritime tracking services and the Romanian and Bulgarian governments. The campaign aims to disrupt trade passing through Ukrainian ports and has intensified over the past month, reports Egypt Independent.
At least 30 mariners have been killed or are missing following the recent intensification of Russian drone attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea, according to maritime tracking services and the Romanian and Bulgarian governments cited by Egypt Independent. The strikes have targeted at least a dozen ships in recent weeks.
The Russian campaign aims to reduce trade passing through Ukrainian ports, which handle almost all the country's grain exports. Some attacks took place near the territorial waters of Romania and Bulgaria, both NATO members. According to maritime and security sources, Russia has combined naval and aerial drones and is using new jet-powered models that are faster and more difficult to intercept.
The most recent strike mentioned hit the container ship Contship Jet last week, 25 kilometres off the Bulgarian coast, as it approached a Romanian port. Three drones struck the ship, which subsequently sank. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the increase in attacks was turning the Black Sea into a “danger zone” for civilian shipping.
The attacks have accelerated since early October. The Alfa Watan, which had left Egypt for the Romanian port of Sulina, was hit by aerial and naval drones: nine Syrian crew members and one Egyptian died. Six days later, 11 mariners from the HS Dignity died after an attack off Bulgaria. The Russian strikes on Ukrainian ports also coincided with a fall in wheat exports, which dropped to 1.09 million tonnes in September from 2.05 million a year earlier, according to Ukrainian government figures.
