Indian crew members caught in Odessa port strike: Embassy monitors unfolding situation

On Saturday, July 25, the bulk carrier MV AGN Ragnar was hit by an unidentified projectile while docked at Ukraine’s busy Black Sea gateway, the Port of Odessa. The incident sent ripples through the Indian diplomatic mission in Kyiv, which promptly issued a notice that it is “closely monitoring” the development.

According to the embassy’s statement, the ship was carrying four Indian nationals. “Two of our seafarers have been confirmed safe,” the notice read, “and we are awaiting reliable information on the remaining two.” The wording hints at an ongoing search‑and‑rescue effort, with local authorities and the ship’s owners reportedly coordinating on the ground.

While the exact source of the strike was not disclosed, the episode adds to a string of recent attacks on merchant vessels sailing near the conflict zone. Just a week earlier, a Guinea‑Bissau‑flagged carrier, MV Golden Leo, was struck in the same waters, killing ten crew members, four of whom were Indian. That tragedy prompted New Delhi’s Ministry of External Affairs to summon the Russian chargé d’affaires in India and to raise the matter directly with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during the East Asia summit in Manila.

In the aftermath of the Golden Leo attack, Russian Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov warned that Russian forces would continue to target ships they claim are ferrying ammunition or weaponry to Kyiv. The statement has added a layer of uncertainty for merchant mariners navigating the Black Sea, many of whom rely on these routes for their livelihoods.

Back in Odessa, the two Indians confirmed safe are reportedly receiving medical attention, though details are sparse. Families back home are anxiously waiting for definitive news about the other two crew members, and the embassy has pledged to keep them updated as soon as credible information surfaces.

For now, the situation remains fluid. The Indian government, through its diplomatic channels, is maintaining constant contact with Ukrainian authorities, the ship’s owners, and international maritime agencies to ensure the safety of its citizens and to gather clarity on who fired the projectile that struck the MV AGN Ragnar.

As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine drags on, incidents like this underscore the precarious position of civilian mariners caught in the crossfire, and they serve as a stark reminder of the broader human cost of the war.