Two Indian nationals remain unaccounted for after a merchant vessel carrying four Indian crew members was struck at Ukraine’s Port of Odesa, prompting search and rescue operations and renewed concerns over the safety of seafarers in the conflict-hit Black Sea region.
The Indian Embassy in Kyiv said the vessel, MV AGN Ragnar, was hit at the port on July 25. Of the four Indian nationals on board, two have been confirmed safe, while authorities are still trying to establish the whereabouts of the remaining two. Their identities have not been disclosed.
Embassy Monitoring Situation Round the Clock
In a statement posted on X, the Indian mission said it is in constant touch with the concerned authorities and is closely monitoring developments.
The embassy added that search and rescue operations are currently underway and shared emergency contact details for Indian nationals requiring consular assistance in Ukraine.
Fresh Attack Comes Days After Fatal Strike on MV Golden Leo
The latest incident comes less than a week after another deadly attack involving Indian seafarers at Odesa.
On July 19, merchant vessel MV Golden Leo was struck while departing the Ukrainian port, killing four Indian crew members and leaving another critically injured. The vessel had 17 crew members, including five Indians, on board at the time of the attack.
Following that incident, India strongly condemned the targeting of commercial shipping, describing attacks that endanger civilian crew and disrupt freedom of navigation and trade as “deplorable" and calling for such incidents to be avoided.
Government Had Issued Black Sea Advisory
Hours before news of the latest strike emerged, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had issued a fresh advisory urging Indian nationals to carefully assess security risks before accepting jobs on commercial vessels operating in or transiting the Black Sea.
The ministry warned that the security situation in the region remains “highly volatile", with merchant vessels increasingly facing missile and drone attacks. It noted that the rise in such incidents since April 2026 has already claimed the lives of five Indian seafarers.
The advisory also urged Indian seafarers to obtain complete information about vessel routes, insurance coverage and emergency response measures before taking up assignments, and to keep their families informed of their travel plans while maintaining regular contact.
Source: News18