A Turkish-owned cargo ship was struck by a drone in the Black Sea after leaving a Ukrainian port, in the latest incident to raise concerns over the safety of commercial shipping in the region. No information has been released on casualties or the extent of the damage.
Turkish maritime sources said on Thursday that the vessel was hit after departing the Port of Chornomorsk on Ukraine's Black Sea coast.
The incident came hours after the Russian Defence Ministry said it had struck a cargo vessel in the Ukrainian port of Pivdennyi and two other ships off the coast of Odesa during military operations targeting what Moscow described as Ukrainian military infrastructure.
It was not immediately clear whether the attack on the Turkish-owned vessel was connected to the strikes reported by Russia, and there has been no independent confirmation of either incident.
The reported attack nevertheless highlights the growing risks facing commercial shipping in the Black Sea, despite increased efforts by regional governments to protect vital maritime trade routes.
Since the Russia-Ukraine war began in early 2022, merchant vessels have increasingly been caught in the crossfire as both sides have used missiles, drones and naval weapons in and around Ukrainian seaports.
According to maritime industry data, 11 Turkish or Turkish-linked commercial vessels have been damaged by drones, missiles or other munitions since the conflict began.
Last week, a Turkish merchant sailor was killed in a similar incident in the Black Sea, for which both Russia and Ukraine denied responsibility.
The repeated attacks have heightened concerns that the conflict could further threaten one of the world's most important shipping corridors, which is critical for grain exports, energy shipments and wider international trade.
Türkiye, which controls access to the Black Sea through the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits under the 1936 Montreux Convention, has maintained relations with both Kyiv and Moscow while urging restraint and supporting efforts to keep maritime trade routes open.
The latest incident is likely to prompt renewed calls from the shipping industry for stronger safeguards to protect civilian vessels operating in one of the world's most strategically important waterways.
Yemen's air force carried out 20 strikes on Houthi targets earlier on Friday, Brigadier General Majid Abdullah Al-Nuzaili, Spokesman for t...
The European Space Agency (ESA), Airbus and European partners have put a six-wheeled Mars rover prototype through its paces in Spain’s Tabern...
Azerbaijan won 22 medals, including seven gold, at the Mingachevir Regatta 2026 as more than 100 young rowers from 12 countries competed in the int...
Yemen's air force carried out 20 strikes on Houthi targets earlier on Friday, Brigadier General Majid Abdullah Al-Nuzaili, Spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, said. Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Houthis denied targeting a power plant supplying energy to a mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel may participate in the investigation into a serious incident aboard a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, while investigators examine the motive of the co-pilot involved.
Swiss glaciers lost more than 5 per cent of their ice in 2026, making it one of their worst years on record as a dry winter and repeated heatwaves accelerated melting across the Alps.
Passengers from a flydubai flight that was diverted to Saudi Arabia after an alleged attempt to crash the aircraft have arrived safely in Israel.
Russia has warned NATO that it would be prepared to use nuclear weapons if the Western alliance attempted to isolate Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea, according to a diplomatic document seen by Reuters.
Azerbaijan won 22 medals, including seven gold, at the Mingachevir Regatta 2026 as more than 100 young rowers from 12 countries competed in the international tournament.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says the TRIPP project will establish a direct railway connection between Azerbaijan and Armenia and strengthen wider regional transport links.
Afghanistan and Tajikistan have discussed boosting electricity supplies to Afghanistan and plans for a high-voltage power line through the country to Iran, as Kabul seeks greater access to imported energy.
Türkiye has rejected a news report alleging that its intelligence service arranged secret talks between Syrian officials and Hezbollah, calling the claim “entirely unfounded.”
The Gulf is facing mounting pressure across aviation, defence and critical infrastructure as conflict, changing security arrangements and threats to water supplies reshape the region’s risk landscape.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment