Khaberni - Turkey announced today, Tuesday, that a cargo ship carrying sunflower oil was attacked in the Black Sea, amid Turkish warnings of escalation between Russia and Ukraine.
The Turkish Maritime Affairs Administration reported that "the ship Mayildvurga 2 reported being attacked at a distance of 80 nautical miles from our coasts while en route from Russia to Georgia carrying a load of sunflower oil."
The Maritime Affairs Administration mentioned that all 13 crew members are safe, and the ship did not request assistance, adding that the ship is now heading to the Turkish port of Sinop.
According to the "Marine Traffic" maritime navigation tracking site, "Mayildvurga 2" flies the Russian flag, while the "NTV" television channel reported that the attack was carried out by a suicide drone.
This comes after two attacks claimed by Ukraine on Friday and Saturday in the Turkish economic zone targeting the "Ghost Fleet" used by Russia to export fuel amid sanctions.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke on Monday about a "worrying escalation," considering that "the conflict between Russia and Ukraine now threatens the safety of navigation in the Black Sea."
Erdogan said yesterday that attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea are unacceptable, issuing a warning to "all relevant parties."
In response to a question about the recent attack, a Turkish official said, "The necessary messages have been conveyed to the concerned parties, including the Ukrainian authorities," but he did not provide further details.
