New Delhi [India], July 20 (ANI): Four Indian nationals were killed and another was critically injured in an attack on the merchant vessel MV Golden Leo while it was departing the port of Odesa in Ukraine on Sunday evening, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in an official statement.
According to the MEA, the vessel had 17 crew members on board at the time of the attack, including five Indian nationals.
“On the evening of 19 July 2026, the vessel MV Golden Leo was attacked while departing the port of Odesa. At the time of the incident, there were 17 crew members on board, including five Indian nationals. As per information available, four Indian nationals have tragically lost their lives, while one is hospitalised in a critical condition,” the ministry said.
The MEA expressed its condolences to the families of those killed and said India’s mission in Ukraine is closely monitoring the situation while extending all possible assistance to those affected.
“Our Mission in Ukraine is closely monitoring the situation and is making every effort to extend all possible assistance to those affected. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased Indian nationals and wish the injured Indian national a speedy and full recovery,” the statement said.
The ministry also strongly condemned the attack, stating that “targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, is deplorable and should be avoided.”
The statement came after the Ukrainian Navy accused Russia of carrying out a missile strike on the civilian cargo vessel late Sunday.
In a statement, the Ukrainian Navy said Russian forces launched three Kh-59/Kh-69 cruise missiles at the Golden Leo, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged bulk carrier owned by a Turkish company that was transporting grain while leaving the combat zone.
According to the Ukrainian Navy, one of the missiles struck the starboard side of the vessel’s superstructure, igniting a fire on board.
The navy said five people were killed in the attack, while the whereabouts of five other crew members remained unknown.
“Search operations are currently underway. The technical condition of the vessel is being assessed,” the statement said.
The Ukrainian Navy added that its units, along with the Maritime Search and Rescue Service, were immediately deployed to assist. As of 10:30 p.m. Sunday, eight crew members had been evacuated to a hospital in Odesa.
The Ukrainian Navy condemned the strike, calling it “an act of terror.”
“This is yet another targeted strike by Russia against an unarmed civilian vessel flying a foreign flag, which posed no military threat. The attack is an act of terror against peaceful shipping and a blatant violation of international humanitarian law,” the statement said. (ANI)
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