Turkish maritime authorities confirmed on 17 November that a Turkish-flagged ship with 16 crew members on board was hit by a Russian drone attack in Ukraine, forcing the evacuation of the entire crew and the intervention of Ukrainian fire-fighting services in the port.
Turkish media reported that the incident involved the Orinda, a LNG tanker that was unloading at the Ukrainian port of Izmail, located on the border with Romania, according to the Directorate General of Maritime Affairs of the Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.
The impact of the drone triggered a fire on board, but the crew managed to leave the ship following emergency protocols and could be moved to a safe area. “There were no injuries. Firefighting teams are intervening in the fire on the ship,” added the official statement issued from Ankara.
Following the attack, the owning company issued a note confirming that “all our staff are in good health. The fire is still burning on the ship after the attack, and the necessary interventions are being carried out in coordination with local authorities and officials. Our priority is the safety of our crew, and updates will be shared with the public”.
Russia intensifies attacks on infrastructure in Ukraine
The Orinda, a 9,353-tonne, 125-metre long tanker, registered in April 2023 in Turkey’s International Ship Register and belonging to the Orinda Shipping company, was carrying 4,000 tonnes of LNG (liquefied natural gas). Therefore, Romanian authorities ordered the evacuation of the neighbouring Romanian town of Plauru due to the risk of a possible explosion.
Meanwhile, a Russian attack on a power plant in Odessa owned by DTEK, Ukraine’s largest energy company, left 36,500 households without power. Ukrainian authorities reported that some 4,000 households have already had their electricity restored by back-up lines, although repairs for the remaining 32,500 could take longer. Ukrainian officials confirm that Russia is stepping up its attacks on critical infrastructure in Ukraine, especially energy targets, to coincide with the onset of winter weather.
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Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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