The international shipping community has been alarmed after a serious incident in the Black Sea , where the Greek-owned cargo ship “ANNA S” , flying the Liberian flag , was severely attacked approximately 20 nautical miles off Novorossiysk . The ship, owned by Neptune Tradebulk Inc. , was hit five times in succession by drones , resulting in a powerful explosion and a devastating fire .
According to initial information, the vessel has suffered irreparable damage and has been virtually destroyed, while it remains unclear whether it has already begun to sink or whether it is still on the surface of the water.
At the time of the multiple strike, the bulk carrier was empty of cargo and was on a purely commercial voyage, heading to the port of Novorossiysk to load grain .
The ship was carrying a total of 21 crew members , including 20 Filipino sailors and the Romanian captain . Due to the uncontrolled fire, the crew was forced to abandon ship . Thanks to the immediate mobilization of passing vessels, all sailors were rescued alive and picked up by the also Greek-owned merchant ship “Elina B” , which was sailing in the area with 20 crew members .
The crisis in the maritime area escalated dramatically a few hours later, when the rescue ship was also targeted. About five hours after the shipwrecked passengers of the “ANNA S” boarded, the “Elina B” was attacked by drones . Witnesses report that the first drone made continuous circles above the ship for a significant period of time, besieging it before hitting it.
Despite the two consecutive hits it suffered, the “Elina B” managed to maintain its buoyancy and continued sailing at a speed of 9.5 knots towards a safe port in Turkey , ensuring the physical integrity of the 41 people on board.
This double strike intensifies the concern and anxiety of shipowners about an extremely dangerous tactic observed in the field. Merchant shipping actors expressed obvious concern, emphasizing that the drones did not target the holds or cargo, but the accommodation , i.e. the living spaces of the crew , which makes the attacks potentially deadly for the sailors.
This development poses a serious threat to the safety of commercial shipping in the Novorossiysk area, one of Russia’s most critical hubs for global grain and energy exports . The fact that an empty merchant ship and a rescue vessel have become military targets highlights the extreme level of risk to which commercial ships and their crews are exposed as military operations escalate dangerously in the Black Sea sea lanes.
