Russian forces launched a strike on a Turkish-owned cargo ship off the coast of Odesa. Six crew members were killed, and four others are missing.

The weekend saw Russian forces launch a strike on a Turkish-owned bulker off the Gulf of Odesa. The attack resulted in the death of six crew members and left four others missing, according to reports from both the Ukrainian Navy and multiple local sources. 

Local outlets reported that the freighter Golden Leo was operating in waters near Odesa when it was hit by multiple Russian cruise missiles. The munitions struck the starboard side of the superstructure, and the accommodation block was destroyed by the resulting fire and explosion. Like many Turkish coasters involved in the risky Black Sea trade, the Golden Leo  (IMO 9181833, MMSI 630001081 -  sailing under the flag of Guinea-Bissau) is an ageing freighter with a comparatively low resale value. Built in 1998, she has exceeded the usual retirement age for a merchant vessel. The vessel appears to have previously called at ports in the Odesa region. 

A series of retaliatory strikes on Ukraine's shipping ports

In recent days, there has been an escalation in attacks in and around Odesa, as Russia launches a series of retaliatory strikes on Ukraine's shipping, ports and other infrastructure. Eighteen people have been killed in the region over the last week.

Related: Reuters : Drones hit two tankers in Black Sea as Kazakh oil production plummets,

Saving a missing crew member from a freighter 

On Saturday night, Ukraine's border guard service successfully conducted a search and rescue operation to save a missing crew member from a freighter that had been attacked by Russian drones. The freighter Venturo was hit by Russian Geran-4 one-way drones. This happened on Friday. The drones damaged the superstructure. They also set fire to the bridge. Seventeen crew members were rescued by the Ukrainian navy, but the ship's electrician, a Filipino sailor, remained missing. After his crewmates left the ship, he abandoned it using the vessel's life raft and remained adrift until the following day.

The survivor had been at sea for a day,

Last Saturday evening, the 26th Border Detachment of the State Border Guard Service caught sight of a small vessel using monitoring apparatus. A patrol boat was launched by the agency to search for the boat. Despite the constant threat of renewed Russian drone strikes and the darkness of night, the Border Guard patrol crew found the craft — an enclosed motor lifeboat — and rescued the last missing crew member of the Venturo. The survivor had been at sea for a day, but he was in good condition and did not need medical attention. 

#Golden Leo # Gulf of Odesa #Russian forces #Ukraine's shipping #Russian drones # grain ship #Black Sea #crew members #Death