Estonian cargo ship SINKS after ‘hitting a MINE’ off Ukraine coast near Odessa
- Four crew members are missing and two are in a lifeboat after the explosion
- Authorities believe the cargo ship hit a landmine in the Black Sea near Odessa
- Ukraine had accused Russia of using civilian ships as human shields
An Estonian-owned cargo ship has been sunk off the coast of Ukraine following an explosion.
The Helt is believed to have hit a mine and four crew members are still missing.
Two others are in a life raft at sea after the blast near Odessa according to Igor Ilves, managing director of Tallinn-based manager Vista Shipping Agency.
Estonia is a member of NATO, leading to fears the sinking could spark even further conflict in Eastern Europe.
‘The vessel has finally sunk,’ Ilves said. ‘Two of the crew are in a raft on the water and four others are missing. I don’t know where they are at the moment.’
Images circulating on social media purport to show the sinking of the Helt in the Black Sea by Ukraine (pictured)
An Estonian-owned cargo ship has been sunk off the coast of Ukraine following an explosion (file image)
The 37-year-old Helt was flying under the Panamanian flag, like many merchant ships who wish to avoid their own countries’ strict marine regulations.
It comes after the Russian Black Sea Fleet was accused of using civilian vessels including the Helt as human shields in the invasion of Ukraine.
The military said the Russian Navy forced the Helt to enter a dangerous zone of the Black Sea to cover the movement of its own warships.
Ukraine’s armed forces said: ‘For the safety of civil navigation, the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine closed navigation in the north-western part of the Black Sea.
‘At the same time, the Russian Black Sea Fleet continues the tactics of Russian ground forces trying to hide behind civilian lives.’
It comes just a day after a Bangladeshi-owned cargo ship was struck by a missile or bomb in the Black Sea port of Olvia, killing one of its crew members.
A Bangladeshi-owned cargo ship was struck by a missile or bomb in the Black Sea port of Olvia, killing one of its crew members yesterday (pictured)
The Bangladesh-flagged Banglar Samriddhi had been stuck in the port of Olvia since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began on February 24
‘The ship came under attack and one engineer was killed,’ Pijush Dutta, executive director of Bangladesh Shipping Corp, told Reuters. ‘It was not clear whether it was a bomb or missile or which side launched the attack. The other 28 crewmen are unharmed,’ he said, without providing further details.
The Bangladesh-flagged Banglar Samriddhi had been stuck in the port of Olvia since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, and was hit by a missile on Wednesday evening, a Bangladeshi foreign ministry official said on Thursday.
In the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, the Russian Embassy said in an English-language statement on its Facebook page that the circumstances of the incident were ‘being established’.
‘We express deep condolences to the near and dear ones of the deceased. The Russian side bends every effort to ensure safe departure of the Bangladeshi ship from the port,’ it said.
It was hit by a missile on Wednesday evening, a Bangladeshi foreign ministry official said =on Thursday
Videos on social media showed crew members asking for help after the ship was hit.
In one video, the vessel’s second engineer said the ship had been hit by a rocket with one crewmate already dead.
‘We have no power supply. Emergency generator power supply is running. We are on the verge of death. We have not been rescued yet. Please save us,’ the seafarer said.
In another video, another crew member called Asiful Islam Asif said: ‘Please rescue us.’
Bangladesh Shipping Corp’s Dutta said he was aware of the videos, declining further comment.
Many shipping companies have suspended sailings to affected Black Sea ports and other terminals in Ukraine, with insurance premiums for voyages soaring in recent days.
At least three commercial ships have been hit by projectiles since the invasion was launched.
Source: Read Full Article