The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India summoned Ukraine’s Ambassador, Dr. Oleksandr Polishchuk, on Monday in response to the recent attack on the merchant vessel MV OMORFI near Odesa, which resulted in the death of an Indian seafarer. The MEA voiced serious concerns over the incident, condemning assaults on commercial shipping that jeopardize maritime safety and disrupt global trade.
The Ministry urged the Ukrainian envoy to relay India’s strong objections to Ukrainian authorities, stressing that attacks endangering civilian seafarers are unacceptable and must be stopped. Reports from the Indian Embassy in Ukraine indicated that four Indian nationals were aboard the MV OMORFI during the attack; while two crew members are safe, information about the other two is pending.
This incident follows another tragic event on July 19, where four Indian nationals were killed aboard the MV Golden Leo while departing Odesa, highlighting the escalating dangers in the region. In response to India’s concerns, the Ukrainian Embassy in New Delhi communicated condolences from Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, expressing profound sympathy for the victims’ families.
The persistent attacks on merchant vessels in the Black Sea have raised alarms about the safety of civilian seafarers and the security of international maritime trade routes, underscoring the urgency for diplomatic discussions between the two nations regarding the evolving security situation.
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