The Ukrainian Navy rescued 17 Filipino seafarers after a Russian strike disabled the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged dry cargo ship VENTURO off the coast of Ukraine's Odesa region. One seafarer was killed, and three others were injured and transported to hospital.
The strike damaged the vessel and disabled its propulsion system, leaving it stranded at sea. Naval crews launched their rescue operation while Russian attacks on the surrounding coastline continued. All 17 survivors were brought ashore safely.
VENTURO is a Supramax bulk carrier registered under the Antigua and Barbuda flag, with a deadweight capacity of up to 57,000 tonnes. The vessel operates between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean and was sailing from the Bulgarian port of Varna to Sulina, at the mouth of the Danube in Romania, at the time of the attack.
Regional authorities described the strike as part of a coordinated assault on port infrastructure along Ukraine's Black Sea coast. The attack also damaged buildings, storage tanks, and warehouses in the area.
As first responders rushed to the scene, Russian forces launched a second strike that destroyed specialised rescue equipment. The responders had taken cover before the follow-up hit and escaped injury.
The Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed it struck VENTURO, characterising the attack as a drone strike and claiming the vessels in the area were carrying military cargo. That claim has not been independently verified. Ukrainian officials have condemned the strike as an attack on civilian shipping, and Ukrainian authorities have not confirmed which weapon was used.
The incident comes amid an escalating pattern of maritime strikes. Following Ukrainian attacks on tankers belonging to Russia's shadow fleet in the Azov and Black Seas, Russia has intensified strikes on Ukrainian maritime infrastructure.
Filipino crew members face acute danger in this corridor. Philippine nationals make up a significant share of the world's merchant fleet and have appeared on nearly every casualty list from the Black Sea since attacks on commercial vessels resumed. Two of four Filipino sailors injured when the tanker M/V Blue was struck in the Black Sea were repatriated to Manila last week.
The attack has further complicated operations for ship owners and managers trading into Danube and Ukrainian ports. VENTURO, unable to move under its own power, remains unable to leave the area. The subsequent strike on rescue equipment in Odesa signals that response operations now carry risks comparable to the initial attacks themselves.
The Philippine Department of Migrant Workers has been facilitating repatriation and welfare assistance for seafarers caught up in Black Sea attacks.
