Black Sea drone attacks kill 31 sailors and halt regional trade

A sea drone struck the hull of the cargo ship HS Dignity just after 1:30 a.m. on Oct. 13, sending the vessel into a heavy Black Sea swell and forcing its crew to abandon ship. The attack marks the latest in a series of strikes that have paralyzed a key global shipping lane.

Sixteen Syrian and Egyptian nationals stood on deck in life jackets as the ship began to sink. A boat speeding toward them in the dark, initially mistaken for rescuers, turned out to be another drone. Chief officer Ashraf Mamdouh, 42, said the crew ran as the second drone rammed the ship, leaving them without time to launch all lifeboats. Eleven crew members remain missing, including 18 year old Syrian sailor Hamza Suleiman.

Maritime analysts estimate nearly 50 commercial vessels have been attacked in the Black Sea this month as the Russia Ukraine war expands to sea. At least 31 seafarers have been killed or are missing. Data from risk firm Ambrey indicates more than 500 attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov this year, with 40 of the 45 recorded in October attributed to Russia.

NATO has responded by deploying additional patrol boats and radar to the western Black Sea, where recent strikes occurred off the coasts of Bulgaria and Romania. On Oct. 23, a search and rescue operation continued after drones hit a Comoros flagged ship outside Romanian territorial waters. One of its 13 crew members has been recovered, while three remain missing. Romanian President Nicușor Dan blamed Russia for the strike.

Shipping companies are retreating from the region. Turkey based ED Shipping has laid up 19 of its 26 vessels. Chief Financial Officer Demre İşcen said the company loses millions of dollars each month. The firm disputed Ukraine's claim that its ship Circon, hit on June 5, carried stolen Ukrainian grain, stating it was bound to load Russian grain.

The human cost is concentrated among crews from developing nations. Khaldoun Nabelsi, head of the Syrian Seafarers Association of the U.K., counted at least 18 Syrian seafarers killed. The Philippine government has barred its citizens from boarding vessels in the northern Black Sea. Mamdouh and four surviving crewmates are waiting in Bulgaria for documents to fly home, with Mamdouh declaring he will never return to the Black Sea.