Black Sea Trade Frozen After Drone Campaign Claims 31 Lives

The Black Sea has become a dangerous zone for commercial shipping as a wave of drone strikes forces the region’s trade corridor to a standstill. At least 31 seafarers have been killed or are missing following attacks on nearly 50 vessels this month.

Maritime risk firm Ambrey tracks more than 500 attacks on commercial ships in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov this year. The firm attributes 40 of the 45 incidents recorded in October to Russia. The Russian Ministry of Defence acknowledges striking dozens of ships, stating that the targets supported Ukraine’s military efforts.

The attacks have concentrated in the western Black Sea, including waters off the coasts of NATO members Bulgaria and Romania. On Friday, a search operation began after drones hit a Comoros-flagged ship just outside Romanian waters. One body was recovered from the 13 crew members, while three remain missing. Romanian President Nicușor Dan blamed Russia for the incident.

The cargo ship HS Dignity was hit by a sea drone just after 1:30 a.m. on Oct. 13. Chief officer Ashraf Mamdouh, 42, ordered the 16 Syrian and Egyptian crew members to abandon the sinking 123-metre vessel. As they prepared to launch lifeboats, an unmanned boat rammed the ship, preventing them from finishing the evacuation.

Mamdouh spent four hours in a life raft before the vessel Azov Concord found him. Five crew members survived the sinking. Eleven are listed as missing, including Hamza Suleiman, an 18-year-old Syrian on his first voyage. Suleiman’s father, Basel, said his son called on Oct. 12 to say they were in Bulgarian waters. Mamdouh last saw Suleiman wearing a life jacket, a detail that keeps his father hopeful.

Khaldoun Nabelsi, head of the Syrian Seafarers Association of the U.K., has counted at least 18 Syrian seafarers killed. He noted that while nobody is forced to take these jobs, economic pressure drives many to board. The Philippine government has barred its citizens from boarding vessels in the northern Black Sea.

Shipping companies are pulling back from the region. Turkey-based ED Shipping has laid up 19 of its 26 vessels, according to chief financial officer Demre İşcen. The company reports losing millions of dollars each month. Its ship Circon was hit in the Sea of Azov on June 5, killing two crew members. Ukraine said the targeted vessels carried stolen grain and military cargo, a claim İşcen disputes.

Mamdouh and his surviving crewmates are currently waiting in Bulgaria for new documents to fly home. Mamdouh stated he will not return to the Black Sea, adding that the experience has changed his view of the route forever.