- Two Indian nationals went missing after MG AGN Ragnar was struck in Odesa port last night
- Four Indians were on the vessel; two confirmed safe, two missing as per Indian Embassy in Kyiv
- Search and rescue operations are underway, and the embassy is coordinating with local authorities
Two Indian nationals have gone missing after a merchant vessel was struck in the Ukrainian port of Odesa last night, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv said.
The vessel, MG AGN Ragnar, was carrying four Indian nationals - of whom two were reported to be safe. The identities of the four Indians are not yet disclosed.
The Indian Embassy in Ukraine, in a post on X, said that search and rescue operations for the missing Indians are underway, and that they are in touch with concerned authorities.
"Four Indian nationals were on board the vessel. As per the latest information, two have been confirmed safe, and information is awaited regarding the other two nationals," it wrote in a post on X. It also shared emergency contact details for those requiring consular assistance, including the emergency phone number +380 93 355 9958, and the email addresses - cons.kyiv@mea.gov.in and cons1.kyiv@mea.gov.in.
The Ukrainian port of Odesa has frequently come under drone attacks since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022.
Earlier on July 19, four Indians died, and another was in a critical condition after their ship was attacked in the Odesa port. The ship, MV Golden Leo, had 17 crew members on board at the time of the attack, including five Indian nationals.
India strongly condemned the attack, saying targeting commercial shipping and endangering civilian crew, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and trade, was "deplorable and should be avoided."
Centre's advisory
The government today advised its citizens to carefully assess the security situation before taking up employment in conflict-hit maritime zones - especially in the Black Sea region.
"Indian nationals intending to undertake employment on commercial vessels operating in or transiting the conflict-affected region are advised to carefully assess the prevailing security risks before accepting such assignments," the advisory read.
It added, "Commercial vessels operating in or transiting these waters are facing significant security risks, including missile and drone attacks. Since April 2026, there has been an increase in the number of such incidents on commercial vessels, which has also resulted in the tragic loss of five Indian lives."
The Centre also asked the Indian sailors to keep their family members informed of the itinerary and maintain regular contact.
