India in touch with Ukraine to ensure safety of 13 seafarers in Black Sea

A video showing smoke billowing out of the MV Amir1, a merchnat ship anchored in the Black Sea, sparked concerns of Russian missile attacks.

Indian authorities are in contact with their Ukrainian counterparts to ensure the safety of 13 Indian seafarers on board a merchant ship anchored in the Black Sea port of Chornomorsk, which has faced several Russian drone and missile attacks in recent days.

After the FSUI flagged the concern on social media, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv said that it was taking steps to ensure the safety of Indian crew members on board. (@FSUIINDIA/X)

After the Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) shared a brief video of smoke billowing over the Ukrainian port near MV Amir1 on Wednesday, the Indian embassy in Kyiv said it was aware of the situation involving the Tanzania-flagged cargo vessel and is taking steps to ensure the safety of Indian crew members.

MV Amir1, which has a crew of 13 Indians and two Iranians, has been anchored at Chornomorsk port since July 8.

“A situation regarding MV Amir1 with Indian seafarers onboard has been brought to our attention. We attach the highest priority to this and are in constant touch with all concerned to ensure safety and security of all Indians onboard,” the Indian embassy in Kyiv said on social media without giving details.

The FSUI said on social media that Amir1’s 15-member crew was “trapped in a terrible and life-threatening situation”.

“Repeated drone and missile attacks are being attempted in the immediate vicinity of the vessel. The crew is living under constant fear of a direct hit at any moment,” the FSUI said. The union appealed to “authorities, shipowners, flag state, and the government of India to immediately secure” the safety of the crew and arrange their prompt repatriation.

“Indian seafarers must not be left as sitting targets in conflict zones,” FSUI general secretary Manoj Yadav said.

“The crew has been there for 20 days and they have said there have been several explosions. They are very worried about their safety,” he said.

Uptick in attacks on merchant vessels

Yadav noted there had been a sudden uptick in attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea over the past few weeks. “It is almost as if people have seen how attacks on merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz attract international attention and they’re using the same tactics in the Black Sea,” he said.

Five Indian seafarers have died and two more reported missing following recent Russian and Ukrainian attacks on merchant vessels in the Black Sea. About half a dozen seafarers have been killed in attacks on merchant shipping in the Persian Gulf since February.

India has summoned senior diplomats of Iran, the US, Russia and Ukraine to protest against these attacks and called for an end to the targeting of seafarers, merchant vessels and civilian infrastructure during conflicts.

Ukraine accuses Russia of intensifying attacks

The Ukrainian embassy in New Delhi, in a social media post, accused Russia of intensifying attacks on civilian vessels and infrastructure at Black Sea ports. It acknowledged that 13 Indian seafarers were stranded on Amir1 “under the continuing threat of Russian missile and drone attacks”.

While noting that Ukrainian authorities are providing all possible assistance and are in contact with the Indian embassy in Kyiv regarding the seafarers, the Ukrainian embassy regretted that a request for a phone conversation between the foreign ministers of the two sides on security in the Black Sea has remained “unanswered”.

The Ukrainian embassy further noted that India’s Directorate General of Maritime Administration had issued an advisory on July 15 asking ship owners and companies to avoid deploying Indian seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz, whereas another advisory issued on July 23 had only asked Indian seafarers in the Black Sea to exercise the “highest degree of caution”.

“Such a comparison raises serious questions as to whether the measures recommended for the Black Sea correspond to the level of risk faced by Indian seafarers, particularly in light of the repeated Russian attacks on civilian vessels and the loss of Indian lives,” the Ukrainian embassy said.

Ukrainian ambassador Oleksandr Polishchuk backed India’s call for respecting international law and the safety of civilians. “India definitely has a very good relationship with [Russia], and its reputation internationally is very big. We are always asking the Indian government to support us in bringing Russia to the negotiation table,” he told ANI.