Azerbaijan says two nationals killed, two wounded in drone attack on Black Sea cargo ship

Two Azerbaijani nationals were killed and another two wounded in a drone strike on a cargo ship in the Black Sea on Wednesday, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said, as attacks on commercial shipping in the region continue.

It said it was monitoring the incident and rendering assistance to the Azerbaijani citizens affected. It did not readily identify the vessel or provide information on what became of the ship.

The incident is the latest in a wider surge of drone attacks between Russian and Ukrainian forces in and around the Black Sea, with merchant vessels increasingly caught up in the fighting.

The International Maritime Organisation on Thursday condemned attacks on civilian merchant vessels in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, highlighting growing risks to commercial shipping.

Several vessels have been damaged by drone attacks in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Reuters reported cargo ships and tankers were taking improvised measures to protect themselves from drone attacks when transiting the Black Sea, including nets and water tanks.

Earlier, Azerbaijan said that some of its citizens were among the crews of cargo vessels attacked by drones in the Sea of Azov in June. Five Azerbaijani nationals were killed in those attacks, the foreign ministry said.

The latest incident could not be immediately verified independently and it was not immediately clear who carried out the strike.