Russian Drone Attack Hits Turkish Ship in Ukraine
The Turkish-flagged liquefied gas carrier “Orinda” (ORINDA) was targeted by a drone strike at Ukraine’s Izmayil port. Turkish media reported that the vessel was carrying about four thousand tons of liquefied gas and was unloading cargo at the time of the attack. Following the drone strike, the ship caught fire and Ukrainian firefighters were dispatched to contain the flames.
The Directorate General of Maritime Affairs of Turkey stated in a declaration that the Orinda, flying the Turkish flag with 16 Turkish crew members, was struck during unloading operations at Izmayil port. The statement emphasized that all crew members safely evacuated the ship and no injuries were reported.
Mahüddin Çelik, Turkey’s Consul General in Odessa, announced that the fire continues and, since two-thirds of the liquefied gas cargo remains on board, there is a risk of explosion. He added that security measures at the port have been reinforced and a technical team from the ship’s owning company will be sent to Izmayil to assess the situation.
This incident is not the first attack on Turkish ships in the Black Sea. In 2024, a Turkish cargo vessel transporting Ukrainian grain to Egypt was struck by a missile about 30 miles off the coast of Romania, suffering serious damage. A year earlier, the Turkish-owned ship “Şükrü Okan” was stopped by the Russian navy, fired upon with automatic weapons as warning shots, and later attacked by a helicopter. Following that incident, Ankara warned Moscow to refrain from actions that escalate tensions in the Black Sea.
Turkish officials have stated that once the fire is fully extinguished, a detailed assessment of the damage to the Orinda will be carried out.
