Two Azerbaijani crew members were killed and two were wounded after the tug/freighter Tedy was struck by drones in the Black Sea, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said. The injured were hospitalised in Chornomorsk, Ukraine. Baku has not assigned responsibility and is coordinating with affected states, while Russia said it struck two freighters bound for Odessa—claims that have not been independently verified. The incident follows a prior Sea of Azov attack that killed five Azerbaijani nationals and comes amid repeated maritime strikes since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Two Azerbaijani Crew Members Killed in Drone Strike on Black Sea Freighter ‘Tedy’; Two Wounded
FILE PHOTO - A view of downtown Baku from the "Alley of Martyrs" memorial. (is associated with: «Two Azerbaijani nationals killed in drone attack in Black Sea») Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
Two Azerbaijani nationals were killed and two others wounded after a freighter named Tedy was struck by drones in the Black Sea, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry in Baku said on Thursday. The incident occurred on Wednesday.
The two injured crew members were transported to hospital in the south-western Ukrainian port city of Chornomorsk, the ministry added. All four were serving aboard the Tedy, described by authorities and shipping sources as a tug/freighter sailing under a foreign flag.
Official Response and Claims
The Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan did not assign blame for the attack, saying only that it is coordinating with relevant authorities in the affected countries and monitoring developments.
Separately, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Thursday morning that Russian forces had struck two freighters in the Black Sea that were reportedly en route to Ukraine's port of Odessa. It was not immediately clear whether Moscow's statement referred to the same attack reported by Azerbaijan, and the Russian claims could not be independently verified.
Turkey-based Aras Marine Yatirim Holding posted on LinkedIn saying a tugboat named Tedy was hit by drones during a ship-rescue operation in the Black Sea.
Wider Context
The report follows an earlier deadly incident in the Sea of Azov in which five Azerbaijani nationals were killed. Shipping in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov has been repeatedly affected by attacks since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, raising concerns over maritime safety, civilian lives and international shipping routes.
Investigations and coordination between regional authorities and international partners are ongoing. Independent verification of the responsible party and the full circumstances remains pending.
Note: All facts presented here reflect official statements and public company posts; some claims remain unverified.
Help us improve.
