A Turkish-operated cargo ship was hit in an apparent Ukrainian drone attack off the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk late on Monday.

According to Türkiye’s Directorate General of Maritime Affairs (DGM), the Cameroon-flagged Nadezhda was sailing from Novorossiysk to the Turkish port of Samsun when it was attacked by drones.

Russian vessels evacuated the crew from the ship, which sustained damage to its bow and living quarters, the DGM said. Initial reports indicated that three people on board were injured.

The Nadezhda had a crew of 22, including 13 Turkish citizens, according to the DGM. Turkish media reported that the vessel was operated by Samsun-based Kalyoncu Shipping and had been carrying fruit and vegetables from Türkiye to Russia.

Although Turkish authorities did not identify the perpetrator, the ship’s captain, Yalcin Sahin, was quoted by Turkish media as saying that six or seven Ukrainian drones had struck the vessel. Ukraine has repeatedly targeted civilian ships near Russia’s Black Sea and Sea of Azov coasts, as well as tankers off the Turkish coast.

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