The Nadezhda crew recounts a harrowing drone attack in the Black Sea, emphasizing the intent to harm rather than stop the vessel.
The crew of the Turkish Ro-Ro ship Nadezhda, which was attacked by drones in the Black Sea last week, recounted the terrifying moments they experienced during the assault.
Crew member Furkan Hardal stated that the ship was targeted approximately 25 miles offshore, explaining the scale of the attack. Hardal expressed that the attackers' aim was not to stop the ship, but to directly target the crew.
Describing the panic that ensued during the attack, Hardal said that the targeting of the ship by drones created serious fear among the crew.
In evaluating the events, Hardal stated, 'Their aim is not to stop, but to commit massacre!'
First harassment, then attack
Hardal noted that the ship departed from a Russian port at 16:00 and that drones began to harass the vessel about an hour later. He conveyed that the crew quickly realized the ship was being targeted, after which the attack commenced.
'Their aim was to commit massacre'
Hardal recounted that the ship was hit during the first attack, resulting in severe injuries to one driver, and indicated that the emergency lifeboat began to catch fire following the assault.
Arguing that the drones targeted people directly and that the attackers' aim was not merely to stop the ship, Hardal said, 'Their aim was to commit massacre.'
'The ship turned into hell'
Hardal mentioned that the living quarters of the ship were also targeted, stating that the crew fought for survival after the ship was hit a total of six times.
He noted that due to the fire and successive explosions, the ship had virtually turned into a fireball, expressing that the attack caused significant devastation from the crew's perspective.
Some crew members lost their sight and hearing
Hardal indicated that personnel who were outside during the attack were severely injured, adding that some crew members lost their sight and hearing.
He reported that they waited for rescue for about three hours after the attack, and that a Russian patrol boat that arrived in the area was unable to approach the ship.
Injured crew members were later transported to Samsun for treatment.
The attack on August 3 has once again raised concerns about the safety of commercial vessels in the Black Sea, while the scale of the incident recounted by the Nadezhda crew highlights the risks faced by seafarers once more.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
