Image for representation purposes only Three crew members of a Turkish-owned RORO Ship, the NADEZHDA, are in critical condition after their ship came under attack by a swarm of drones in the Black Sea on Monday. The cargo vessel was sailing from Russia’s Port of Novorossiysk to Samsun Port in Turkiye when it was attacked 20 nautical miles off Novorossiysk, stated Turkish Maritime Authorities. The RORO ship had a 22-member crew, of which 13 were Turkish nationals. As a result of the drone strike, the living quarters of the seafarers were damaged as well as the bow. A fire also started onboard. All crew members were evacuated from the vessel by the Directorate General of Maritime Affairs, which coordinated with Russia’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) in Novorossiysk. According to sources, the fire has not been extinguished yet as the risk of further drone attacks in the area remains high, which has delayed firefighting attempts. The Directorate General of Maritime Affairs is monitoring the situation. It gave a statement: “Developments regarding the matter are being closely followed, and we extend our get-well wishes to all our seafarers and hope they will be reunited with their families in good health as soon as possible.” Previously, another Turkish-owned ship which was carrying fresh fruit and vegetables between Turkiye and Russia was also hit close to the port of Novorossiysk. 4 crew members, including 3 Turkish nationals, were injured in the attack. The Russia-Ukraine war has jeopardised maritime security in the Black Sea region. Many Ukrainian and Russian drones have crashed in the last few years in Turkiye, while unmanned armed naval ships have also washed ashore on its coasts. Türkiye, Romania and Bulgaria have jointly launched a maritime security initiative to clear stray naval mines in the Black Sea.