Baghdad: A Turkish merchant ship was attacked by a missile in the Black Sea, killing 10 of its crew members. A ship operated by a Turkish company was struck by a naval missile as it departed a Ukrainian port in the Black Sea, resulting in the deaths of 10 crew members after the vessel caught fire.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Turkish media outlets quoted Ukrainian authorities on Monday as saying that the ship, the Golden Leo, was carrying a cargo of corn when it was hit by a missile as it left a Ukrainian port near Odessa in the Black Sea. Ten crew members were killed, while eight others were rescued. Images released by the Ukrainian Navy showed the ship ablaze and boats participating in firefighting and rescue operations.

Maritime data indicates that the ship, bearing the international maritime registration number 9181833, departed the Spanish port of Barcelona in the early hours of June 30th, with the Romanian port of Sulina as its destination. Its last known location was in the Black Sea, approximately 16 kilometers east of Sulina.

The Golden Leo, a general cargo ship built in Japan in 1998, is 100.7 meters long and 18.3 meters wide, with a deadweight tonnage of 7,334 tons and a grain hold capacity of approximately 9,511 cubic meters. The Ukrainian Navy stated that Russian forces fired three Kh-59/Kh-69 cruise missiles at the vessel, striking the starboard side of its superstructure and causing a fire.

According to the Ukrainian Maritime Port Authority, the ship had a crew of 17, including Syrian and Indian nationals, and a Ukrainian pilot. It was carrying a cargo of corn after departing from a Ukrainian port. Search and rescue operations concluded after the fire was brought under control and eight people were rescued. The death toll was 10, including the Ukrainian pilot.

In response, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that on the same day, it targeted two bulk carriers carrying military cargo in the outer anchorage area of Odessa port, along with two vessels north of Snake Island, which it claimed were used to launch drones and unmanned boats.

Last week saw a sharp escalation in attacks by both Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, signaling a new phase in the conflict, which had previously been primarily fought on land and in the air.