Three seafarers have been seriously injured after a drone struck the Turkish-owned roro vessel Nadezhda near Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, marking the latest merchant shipping casualty in an increasingly dangerous maritime zone.

The Cameroon-flagged vessel (IMO: 7702657) was approximately 20 nautical miles from Novorossiysk on Monday, en route to the Turkish port of Samsun, when it came under attack. The vessel sails under a Cameroon flag of convenience — a common practice among Turkish and other regional shipowners — while being linked to Samsun-based Kalyoncu Shipping and operating on routes carrying fresh produce between Russia and Turkey. Turkey's Directorate General of Maritime Affairs reported that the ship's accommodation block and bow sustained damage, with a fire continuing to burn onboard.

Russian maritime units evacuated all 22 crew members — including 13 Turkish nationals — to Novorossiysk, which serves as Russia's largest commercial port on the Black Sea and a critical hub for grain, crude oil, and container exports. Three crew members were reported to be in serious condition. Turkish authorities noted that further rescue operations around the vessel were suspended due to the ongoing threat of additional drone strikes.

No party has claimed responsibility for the attack. The vessel's master has alleged that several Ukrainian drones were involved in the strike, though this claim has not been independently verified. Ukraine has previously deployed unmanned surface vessels against Russian naval and commercial targets in the Black Sea as part of its broader campaign to restrict traffic to Russian-controlled ports.

The incident comes amid a sharp escalation in attacks on commercial shipping across the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. A wave of strikes in July included fatal attacks on the Turkish-linked vessels Reyhan Sari and Sabahat Telli, as well as the Atlas Bey and Golden Leo, intensifying pressure on Ankara to safeguard its nationals navigating the conflict zone.

A Turkish seafarers' union reported last month that, as of July 21, at least 15 seafarers had been killed in the region during June and July combined. The union accused shipowners of continuing to pursue freight revenue while crews bear the physical brunt of the danger.

"Companies that send seafarers into war zones for the sake of high freight earnings and profit are openly abandoning them to their fate instead of ensuring their safety," the union stated.

The union also argued that crew members from countries affected by high unemployment and severe income inequality — including Turkey, Syria, and India — are not freely choosing to accept such assignments.

"Seafarers accepting these enormous risks for extremely low wages are not making a free choice or seeking adventure," the union said. "It is the result of structural desperation created by economic crisis."

Meanwhile in the Black Sea, Ukrainian drones continue to target ships trying to reach the Russian coast. The „Nadezhda" (IMO: 7702657) a ro/ro cargo ship was struck off the coast of Novorossiysk. pic.twitter.com/jPC9dzyU5B — (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) August 4, 2026