A Panamanian-flagged cargo ship from a Greek aircraft carrier reportedly struck a “Russian naval mine” in the Black Sea while heading to a Ukrainian port on the Danube. This is what the Ukrainian military says, while the operator claims that it is still unclear what caused the “explosion” near the ship. “We still don’t know exactly what happened, but the captain informed us that there was an explosion,” said Nava Shipping of Athens, stating that there were no serious injuries. According to the Southern Operational Command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, it was an “enemy naval mine” and a fire was put out on board the ship. Maritime Bulletin, a news site run by Russian journalist Mikhail Voytenko, also talks about a “Russian naval mine that exploded” yesterday “under or near the stern of the Greek freighter Vyssos.”
According to reports, the ship, which transports grain, was destined for the Ukrainian port of Izmail. And “the explosion” was said to have been “so strong that the stern of the ship was lifted out of the water” and “there was a blackout and all the machinery was turned off”, while the ship’s commander was said to have managed to avoid the worst by deliberately beaching the heavily damaged ship. There were reportedly 18 crew members on board, most of them Egyptians.
Source: IL Tempo
John Cameron is a journalist at The Nation View specializing in world news and current events, particularly in international politics and diplomacy. With expertise in international relations, he covers a range of topics including conflicts, politics and economic trends.
