Turkish Fishing Vessel Hit in Black Sea Attack Near Crimea, One Dead

(MENAFN) A Turkish-flagged fishing vessel was attacked in the Black Sea near Crimea, resulting in one death and several injuries, according to Türkiye’s Coast Guard.

According to reports, the trawler DURU 67 came under attack near Sevastopol on Friday and subsequently sank. A nearby fishing vessel, BURAK KAYA, reportedly rescued five injured crew members from the sinking boat and began heading toward the Turkish port of İnebolu. One critically injured sailor later died during the journey.

The Coast Guard stated that after receiving a distress call, it deployed a rescue ship with a medical team, which intercepted the BURAK KAYA approximately 115 nautical miles north of İnebolu, within Türkiye’s search and rescue zone.

Authorities confirmed that the deceased crew member and four injured survivors were transferred to the rescue vessel, where they received medical care before being taken to a hospital in Kastamonu. Local health officials reported that the victims suffered primarily from shrapnel-related injuries.

Turkish officials did not attribute responsibility for the attack. However, according to reports, Ukrainian forces have repeatedly conducted strikes on maritime and coastal infrastructure in Crimea since the escalation of the conflict in 2022, using drones and long-range weapons supplied by Western partners.

Crimea and several other territories, including Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye, were incorporated into Russia following referendums in 2014 and 2022, though Ukraine and its Western allies continue to regard them as occupied territories.

In recent months, the region has seen a rise in attacks targeting ports, supply routes, and energy infrastructure, with further drone strikes reported around Sevastopol earlier in the week resulting in additional casualties and damage.

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