Four Indian nationals were killed and another was critically injured after a missile attack struck the MV Golden Leo as the commercial vessel departed Ukraine’s port of Odesa on July 19, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said.
The Guinea-Bissau-flagged ship was carrying corn and had 17 crew members aboard, including five Indian nationals. Crew members from Syria were also working on the vessel.
Ukraine’s navy said Russian forces targeted the Golden Leo with three cruise missiles, setting the vessel on fire. Ukrainian authorities described the incident as the deadliest attack during a weeks-long escalation of violence around the Black Sea.
A search-and-rescue operation continued through the night. Ukraine’s seaports authority said nine crew members and one Ukrainian maritime pilot were killed. Eight members of the ship’s 17-person crew were rescued.
The vessel is owned by Mumbai-based Ocean Grace Shipping Ltd., according to LSEG data.
India Condemns Attack on Commercial Shipping
India strongly denounced the strike and raised concerns about threats to civilian sailors, commercial trade and maritime navigation.
“India condemns such attacks and reiterates that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, is deplorable and should be avoided,” the ministry said.
Our Mission in Ukraine is closely monitoring the situation and is making every effort to extend all possible assistance to those affected,” the ministry added while offering condolences to the victims’ families and wishing the injured crew member a full recovery.
The governor of Ukraine’s Odesa region said Russian attacks have killed 28 people in the area so far this month.
On Monday, a Ukrainian drone strike on a bus in Russia’s Belgorod region killed five people, including a child, while Russian attacks across several Ukrainian cities left at least eight people dead.
