Smoke rises from the grain carrier Golden Leo under the Guinea-Bissau flag after Russian missile strike in the Black Sea close to Odesa, Ukraine. (Photo: AP) India on Tuesday summoned Russia’s charge d’affaires and lodged a strong protest over the killing of four Indian seafarers aboard a Guinea-Bissau-flagged merchant vessel struck off the coast of Ukraine.
According to PTI, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) told the Russian diplomat that the attack on the merchant vessel, in which the Indians died, was unacceptable. It marks the first death of Indian seafarers since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
What happened to the ship?
The vessel, MV Golden Leo, was hit while leaving the port of Odesa on the evening of 19 July, according to the MEA. It had 17 crew members aboard, including five Indian nationals; four of them were killed and one remains hospitalised in critical condition. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia had struck the civilian vessel as it navigated Ukraine’s maritime corridor, and that its crew included Syrian and Indian nationals. Ukraine’s Air Force said the ship was hit by Russian cruise missiles.
The strike was part of a wider wave of attacks on Odesa’s port that weekend, with a search-and-rescue operation stretching through the night; eight of the Golden Leo’s 17 crew members were rescued. Russia’s defence ministry said separately that its forces had continued striking Ukrainian ports and vessels it said were linked to Ukraine’s military.
What has India said?
The MEA condemned the attack and, without directly naming Russia, said such strikes on commercial shipping and civilian crews were “deplorable and should be avoided,” PTI reported.
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The ministry added that India’s mission in Ukraine was closely monitoring the situation and working to assist those affected, offering condolences to the families of the deceased and wishing the injured crew member a full recovery.
With inputs from PTI and Reuters