A civilian vessel has been damaged after striking an unidentified explosive device in the Black Sea, off the coast of Odesa, according to Ukraine’s Navy.
Dmytro Pletenchuk, spokesperson for the Naval Forces of Ukraine, confirmed the incident in a statement to Suspilne. He reported that while the explosion caused minor damage, the ship remained seaworthy and continued its journey under its own power. Fortunately, no crew members were injured.
Pletenchuk emphasized that the vessel was not military, adding:
“We can confirm that an explosion of an unidentified explosive object occurred, but the vessel did not suffer significant damage and is proceeding under its own power. There are no casualties among the crew. The vessel is civilian.”
This marks the first such incident in the past two years, despite ongoing risks from sea mines and other explosive devices in the Black Sea. Ukraine’s Navy regularly carries out demining and mine safety operations to reduce threats.
Pletenchuk explained:
“Despite all the work we do, it is difficult to guarantee 100% safety. If the Naval Forces did not constantly demine with the forces we already have, there would be tens of times more such cases. This year alone we have detected and neutralized dozens of such objects, including those left from the Second World War.”
The explosion highlights broader dangers in the region. Recently, three people were killed on a beach in Odesa after accidentally triggering an explosive object while swimming. In another case, a sea mine was found close to the coastline and destroyed by Ukrainian naval specialists in a controlled blast.
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