One crew member was killed and two others injured after a drone attack struck a Panama-flagged ship in the Black Sea, Panama’s Maritime Authority said late on Friday.

The incident took place on Thursday, the authority said, adding that one of the injured sailors was in serious condition.

Despite the attack, the vessel was able to continue on its route.

The authority did not say where the drone attack came from, but advised ships to avoid travelling through Ukrainian and Russian waters in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov to the north.

Panama’s Maritime Authority said that it had “activated the relevant protocols” to collect official information about the incident and remained in contact with the parties involved.

Panama operates the world’s largest ship registry, with roughly 16% of the global merchant fleet sailing under its flag.

The Black Sea has remained a high-risk area for commercial shipping since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with vessels in the region facing threats from drones, mines and missile attacks. The latest incident adds to ongoing concerns over maritime security and the safety of international crews operating near the conflict zone.

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