Turkish-Owned Vessel Sinks in Black Sea: What Happened to Its Three Indian Crew Members?
Three Indian crew members survived after the Turkish-owned cargo vessel Royad Mammadov caught fire and sank in the Black Sea on October 5, 2026. India’s embassy in Romania said all three were safe and that one was injured and receiving medical attention. Romanian authorities reported that two people died and 11 crew members were rescued.
What happened to the vessel?
The fire broke out while the ship was in Romania’s exclusive economic zone, outside its territorial waters. Romania’s Naval Authority identified the vessel as the Royad Mammadov, and the country’s Interior Ministry said it subsequently sank. Rescue teams brought 11 crew members to safety, including injured people airlifted for emergency care.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said two Russian drones struck the civilian vessel, which he described as Turkish-owned and carrying corn. Romanian authorities confirmed the fire, sinking and casualties but did not establish the cause of the fire in their initial account. Russia did not immediately comment on the incident.
The ship was registered under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Its Turkish ownership and its flag are different details: calling it a Turkish vessel does not mean it was sailing under Turkey’s flag. Shipping-tracking information placed it on a voyage from Ukraine’s port of Izmail toward Italy.
What is known about the Indian crew?
The Embassy of India in Romania said it had spoken with all three Indian nationals aboard. One was injured and receiving medical attention; the embassy said it was in contact with hospital authorities and was providing support. It did not publicly identify the sailors or give details of the injury.
The embassy’s account also resolves an important question raised by early reports of a death: it said all three Indians were safe. Its statement did not indicate that an Indian crew member was among those killed.
Who was killed in the Black Sea incident?
Romania’s Interior Ministry reported two deaths. Zelenskyy said the ship’s captain had been killed and, in his initial statement, said the fate of another person was still being clarified. The Romanian death toll was reported as the rescue operation developed; it should not be read as a separate incident or an additional two deaths.
Romanian authorities did not identify the two people who died in their initial public account. The Indian embassy’s confirmation that all three Indian crew members were safe establishes that none of the reported deaths was among them.
The distinction between the official accounts matters. Romania confirmed the sinking, rescue and death toll, while Zelenskyy attributed the incident to Russian drones. The reported cause and responsibility should not be presented as findings independently established by Romania’s initial investigation.
