Civilian ship explodes at sea near Odesa: What is known
Photo: Spokesperson of the Ukrainian Naval Forces Dmytro Pletenchuk (facebook com Taclbery)
A civilian ship exploded in the Black Sea on Sunday, August 31. It happened near the coast of Odesa, according to Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk in a comment to Suspilne.
According to him, the ship exploded on an unidentified explosive device.
No crew members were injured. An inspection of the ship is currently underway, and it will likely be able to continue moving under its own power.
"We are doing everything necessary to ensure the highest possible level of safe civilian shipping. However, despite this, sometimes such incidents may occur," Pletenchuk said.
Online sources note that the vessel in question is the cargo ship NS PRIDE, flying the flag of Belize. Odesa media also report that a part of a Shahed drone shot down the day before, which had not exploded, detonated under the ship.
It is recalled that at the end of July, an explosion occurred on a Ukrainian vessel in the Danube estuary. Eleven crew members were on board conducting routine work. Three employees of the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority were killed as a result of the explosion.
It is also worth noting that this is not the first case of hazardous device detonations in the Black Sea.
For instance, in August, two explosions occurred on beaches in Odesa region, including at the resort town of Zatoka. Three vacationers on the shore were killed as a result of the explosions.
