Russia strikes civilian ship near Odesa, killing four Indians
Four Indian nationals were killed after the cargo vessel Golden Leo, which was departing the port of Odesa, came under attack on July 19. Another crew member remains in critical condition in hospital, according to India's Ministry of External Affairs, Reuters reports.
"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 stated.
Attack on vessel near Odesa
As previously reported, on July 19 Russian forces attacked the merchant vessel sailing under the flag of Guinea-Bissau as it was leaving a Ukrainian port after loading corn. The vessel was carrying 17 crew members, including Syrian and Indian nationals, along with a pilot from the Delta-Pilot branch of the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority (USPA).
According to the Ukrainian Navy, Russian forces launched three Kh-59/Kh-69 cruise missiles at the vessel. One missile struck the starboard side of the superstructure, sparking a fire.
The rescue operation continued throughout the night. Firefighters managed to contain the blaze, but the attack resulted in heavy casualties. Eight crew members were rescued and evacuated ashore, while 10 people were killed, including the USPA pilot.
Earlier, on July 17, a Russian drone struck the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Venturo while it was docked in the port of Odesa.
The following day, July 18, Russian forces launched another large-scale attack on port infrastructure in the Odesa region. A merchant vessel flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda was also hit.
