ED Shipping Idles 19 of 26 Vessels as Black Sea Drone Attacks Claim 31 Lives

More than 500 commercial vessels have been attacked in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov this year, according to data from maritime risk firm Ambrey. The surge in drone strikes has forced a major pause in traffic through the region's primary shipping corridor.

The conflict has resulted in the death or disappearance of at least 31 seafarers. The violence has prompted shipping companies to scale back operations. Turkey-based ED Shipping has laid up 19 of its 26 vessels. Chief Financial Officer Demre İşcen stated the company is losing millions of dollars each month due to the halt in operations.

The most recent severe incident involved the cargo ship HS Dignity. A sea drone struck the hull of the 123-metre vessel just after 1:30 a.m. on Oct. 13. The ship began to sink in heavy swells, and the captain ordered the crew to abandon it. The 16 crew members, who were Syrian and Egyptian nationals, donned life jackets and moved to the deck.

Chief Officer Ashraf Mamdouh, 42, saw an unpowered boat moving toward the sinking ship. He initially believed it was a rescue vessel. The crew shone flashlights at the approaching craft before realizing it was part of the attacking group. The drone rammed the HS Dignity, preventing the crew from finishing the launch of lifeboats.

Mamdouh urged the others to swim away from the sinking hull. Strong winds and currents scattered the group. He spent four hours in a life raft before the vessel Azov Concord located him. He is one of five survivors. Eleven crew members remain missing, including 18-year-old Syrian sailor Hamza Suleiman.

Suleiman's father, Basel, said his son called on Oct. 12 to report their location off the coast of Bulgaria. The young man had grown fearful after the Alfa Watan was struck by drones on Oct. 6. Ten crew members from that vessel, mostly Syrian, have not been recovered. Mamdouh told Basel he last saw Suleiman wearing a life jacket.

Khaldoun Nabelsi, head of the Syrian Seafarers Association of the U.K., has counted at least 18 Syrian seafarers killed in recent attacks. He noted that economic necessity drives many to take these roles. The Philippine government has barred its citizens from boarding vessels in the northern Black Sea.

NATO has deployed additional patrol boats and radar to enhance maritime security. Many attacks have occurred in the western Black Sea, near the coasts of Bulgaria and Romania. A search-and-rescue operation was underway Friday after a Comoros-flagged ship was hit by drones outside Romanian territorial waters. One body was recovered from that vessel, and three crew members remain missing. Romanian President Nicușor Dan attributed the strikes to Russia.

Ambrey attributes 40 of the 45 recorded attacks in October to Russia. The Russian Ministry of Defence acknowledged striking dozens of ships this month, stating the vessels supported Ukraine's military. ED Shipping's CFO İşcen disputed the rationale for one specific attack. Her company's ship Circon was hit on June 5 in the Sea of Azov, killing two crew members. Ukraine said the ship carried stolen grain and military cargo. İşcen stated the vessel was heading to load Russian grain.

Mamdouh and the four surviving crew members are currently in Bulgaria. They are waiting for new documents to return home. Mamdouh said he will not return to the Black Sea.