Four merchant ships targeted in Black Sea, India calls for diplomatic solution

New Delhi – India’s Ministry of External Affairs raised an alarm on October 7 after four merchant vessels were attacked while sailing through the Black Sea. According to spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, the attacks occurred over a two‑day span and jeopardize both commercial shipping and the lives of sailors.

The first incident involved the MV Rayod Mamdov, where three Indian passengers were on board, one of whom sustained injuries now being treated with assistance from the Romanian embassy.

A second vessel, the Togolese‑registered Al‑Fawtan, faced an assault on Tuesday; authorities are still gathering information about its crew.

The third case saw a Palau‑flagged cable ship hit by a drone, leading a Bulgarian rescue boat to bring all 18 crew members to safety; among them were seven Indians, one of whom was hospitalized.

The final target was the Liberian oil tanker Aframax Rio, carrying 23 Indian nationals; all crew members were rescued, with medical attention given to a single injured Indian.

Jaiswal emphasized that sustained dialogue and diplomatic measures are essential to restore calm on international waterways and to protect the maritime community.