Another bloody incident targeting civilian merchant vessels has occurred near the coast of Odesa, Ukraine. The civilian merchant ship Atlas Bey, owned by the Turkish company Okean Maritime and crewed largely by our compatriots, has been subjected to a drone attack. There were 11 Azerbaijani citizens on board the vessel at the time of the incident.
According to sea-news.az citing Oxu.Az and Qafqazinfo, that Ilham Nasirov, Chairman of the Seafarers Public Union, announced that Captain Samad Nasrullayev was killed while fulfilling his professional duty during the brutal attack. On behalf of the maritime community, the Union Chairman extended his deepest condolences to the late captain’s family and loved ones.
Immediately following the attack, the remaining crew members on board were evacuated. With the exception of the captain, all surviving seafarers were safely brought ashore in Odesa.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of the Republic of Azerbaijan has also released an official statement regarding the incident. The ministry’s statement highlights the following points:
From the official report of the MFA:
- The current condition of the evacuated crew members is satisfactory, and they are under supervision.
- Necessary measures are continuing to search for the captain at the scene and to fully clarify the details of the incident.
The issue of the safety of seafarers working on civilian navigation lines has once again become the most painful topic on the regional agenda following this incident.
