Container Ship Attacked by UAVs in the Black Sea Sinks
A Russia-linked container ship sailing in the Black Sea sank following a UAV attack. All 17 crew members on board were rescued.
The Yanina container ship, owned by FESCO, which is controlled by Russia’s state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom, sank after being attacked by UAVs in the Black Sea. All 17 crew members on board were reported to have been rescued.
The approximately 142-meter-long vessel was targeted by two unmanned aerial vehicles while sailing about 130 nautical miles off Novorossiysk. The crew was evacuated after the vessel began taking on water following the attack.
Rosatom General Director Alexey Likhachev said the ship was carrying civilian cargo such as frozen food, construction materials and decoration materials. While the Russian side described the attack as an act of piracy, the Ukrainian administration confirmed the attack and claimed that the vessel was linked to Russia’s war activities.
All 17 Crew Members Rescued
All 17 crew members on board were safely evacuated following the attack. Sixteen of the crew members were rescued by the commercial vessel Delphinus, which was in the area, while one crew member was brought ashore by Russian naval aviation teams.
It was stated that none of the crew members lost their lives in the incident.
Had a Capacity of 962 TEU
The Yanina, which had been serving in the FESCO fleet since 2021, was built in South Korea. The approximately 142-meter-long vessel had a width of 22 meters and a deadweight capacity of 13,007 tons. The vessel’s container carrying capacity was recorded as 962 TEU.
The Yanina was used for maritime transportation between India, the United Arab Emirates and Russia’s Port of Novorossiysk.
Risk to Commercial Ships in the Black Sea Back on the Agenda
The sinking of the container ship following the attack has once again brought to the agenda the security risks facing commercial maritime transportation in the Black Sea due to the Russia-Ukraine war.
The recent increase in attacks by both sides targeting energy facilities, logistics infrastructure and assets linked to maritime transportation is raising concerns about the safety of commercial vessels sailing in the Black Sea.
The attack on the Yanina has once again sparked debate over the impact of the war on commercial maritime transportation, as well as maritime security risks in the Black Sea.
