The Turkish Ro-Ro cargo ship NADEZHDA was struck by a drone, injuring three crew members, prompting an evacuation to Russia.
The Turkish-owned Ro-Ro cargo ship NADEZHDA was attacked by a drone while sailing from Novorossiysk to Samsun, approximately 20 nautical miles off the Russian coast. Three seafarers were seriously injured, and the 22-member crew was evacuated to Russia.
Commercial shipping traffic in the Black Sea is back in the spotlight due to a new attack linked to Turkey. According to a report by Reuters based on information from Turkish maritime authorities, the Ro-Ro cargo ship named NADEZHDA was attacked while sailing from Novorossiysk Port to Samsun. The incident occurred approximately 20 nautical miles off the coast of Russia.
It was reported that three seafarers on board were seriously injured, and all members of the 22-person crew were evacuated to Russia. During the evacuation, it was noted that a fire was ongoing at the bow of the ship. Initial information reflected in open sources did not publish a technical report regarding the type of drone, flight direction, and point of origin. While Reuters reported the attack as a drone strike, it did not make a definitive identification of the responsible party.
The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed serious concern about the continued targeting of civilian vessels in the Black Sea following the incident. Ankara called on both Russia and Ukraine to take necessary measures to ensure navigational safety and stated that the situation of the injured Turkish citizens is being closely monitored.
The NADEZHDA case illustrates the risk faced by a commercial Ro-Ro ship, whose direct connection to the battlefield has not been clarified, operating on a regular Turkey–Russia route. Since no official details have been disclosed regarding the ship's cargo, the extent of damage, and the rescue plan, assumptions should not be made on these topics.
The Novorossiysk–Samsun route is one of Turkey's northern connections in terms of Ro-Ro and general cargo flow. The attack directly concerns Turkish shipowners and operators in terms of crew safety, route planning, war risk insurance, and port approach procedures.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
