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Report: Russian Navy Sinks Russian Trawler With a Missile, Killing Three

Captain Lobanov after a refit in 2017 (Press Service of Kaliningrad Region)
Captain Lobanov after a refit in 2017 (Press Service of Kaliningrad Region)

Published Mar 25, 2024 4:24 PM by The Maritime Executive

The Russian Navy appears to have hit and sunk a Russian vessel, according to independent Russian news outlet TV Rain. 

A crewmember of the trawler Captain Lobanov told the outlet that a missile hit the vessel during a Russian Navy exercise in the Baltic on March 19. Three crewmembers were killed, four were injured and the vessel was sunk, he said. Images circulating on social media appear to show the vessel's wreck partially capsized at a pier. 

Russian response agencies initially described the incident as an accidental shipboard fire, and reported that there was one deceased crewmember and two more missing. The survivor who spoke to TV Rain alleged that the four rescuees were interrogated by Russian security services and instructed not to tell their stories. 

A video obtained by TV Rain appeared to show that the vessel lost its pilothouse in the strike. The wrecked hulk was still on fire, and a large debris field and a life raft floated just off the starboard side.  

The corvette Boikiy was operating on a Baltic training range at the same time, conducting artillery firing exercises and mock anti-ship missile launches, according to Russian outlet Lenta.