The Turkish-flagged fishing boat named Duru 67 was attacked off the northern coast of the Black Sea and subsequently sank. One sailor lost his life, and several crew members were injured in the incident.
The Turkish Coast Guard Command announced that the boat was attacked west of the occupied city of Sevastopol on Friday, June 5. The statement did not specify who carried out the attack or what type of weapon was used.
Five injured sailors were initially rescued by another trawler named Burak Kaya. However, one of the injured died on the way back to Turkey.
The coast guard vessel intercepted Burak Kaya about 213 kilometers north of İnebolu, with a medical team on board. The injured were transferred to the coast guard boat there and taken to a hospital in central Kastamonu.
Condition of the Injured Clarified at Hospital
Health officials reported that the injured suffered shrapnel-type wounds. One of the injured underwent a minor operation on the coast guard vessel.
Fevzi Yavuzilmaz, an official from the Kastamonu Provincial Health Directorate, stated that among the injured brought to the hospital, two were relatively lightly wounded while two others were more seriously injured.
The incident has reignited concerns about the safety of civilian maritime transport and fishing in the Black Sea. Turkish authorities have not disclosed details of the attack, and the reason why the boat was targeted remains unknown.
At the end of March, an explosion occurred on a tanker belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet in the Black Sea, prompting warnings about maritime security risks and the potential spread of regional conflict. This latest attack has once again brought maritime security issues in the region to the forefront.
