Indian crew on vessel hit at Odesa port; two safe, two untraced

London,UPDATED: Jul 26, 2026 12:50 IST

A merchant vessel carrying four Indian nationals was struck at Ukraine's Port of Odesa, with two crew members confirmed safe while information on the other two is still awaited, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv said on Sunday. The incident took place on Saturday when MV AGN Ragnar was hit at one of Ukraine's key Black Sea ports.

The embassy said it is closely monitoring the situation and remains in touch with the authorities as search and rescue operations continue. There was no immediate information on the source of the strike, the circumstances of the incident, or the total number of crew members on board.

In a statement, the Indian mission said, "Embassy of India in Ukraine is closely monitoring the situation following the incident involving MV AGN Ragnar, which was struck at the Port of Odesa on July 25." It said four Indian nationals were on board the vessel at the time of the incident.

"As per the latest information, two have been confirmed safe, and information is awaited regarding the other two nationals," the embassy said. It added that search and rescue operations are underway and that it is in constant touch with the concerned authorities to ascertain the status of the missing crew members and extend all possible assistance. The identities of the four Indian nationals and the nature of their duties on board were not immediately known.

Odesa, Ukraine's principal Black Sea port, has frequently come under missile and drone attacks since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Merchant shipping in the Black Sea has also been affected at intervals despite efforts to keep trade routes open. India has repeatedly advised its nationals to avoid travel to Ukraine because of the security situation and has been providing consular assistance to Indian citizens in the country since the conflict began.

The incident has once again put focus on the risks around shipping in the Black Sea, with the Indian mission awaiting details on the two untraced crew members while continuing to coordinate with the authorities.

With PTI Inputs

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