Two Missing in Russian Attack on Freighter on the Danube
On Saturday, a Turkish-operated freighter was hit by Russian drones on the northern branch of the Danube, leaving two crewmembers missing. It is the latest in a string of deadly strikes on shipping in the region, with victims on both sides.
The 3,400 dwt freighter AGN Ragnar was outbound through the Bystre Channel at the Danube's northern mouth on Saturday when she was struck by three drones. Two Indian crewmembers, identified by Indian maritime authorities as Chandra Ram Dubey and Deepak Kumar Gupta, went over the side during the attack. They remain missing.
Seven survivors and the local pilot were evacuated by Ukraine's coast guard and are in good condition. Further SAR operations to look for the two missing men had to be called off due to the ongoing risk of Russian strikes, and local authorities plan to pick up the search again when the threat has passed.
At least five Indian nationals have been killed in recent strikes in the Odesa region, including the chief officers of two ships, the freighters Omorfi (hit by Ukraine) and Golden Leo (hit by Russia).
Like Golden Leo and Omorfi, AGN Ragnar is a small, aging, lower-value coastal vessel, less expensive to insure with rising war risk costs. All three are Turkish-managed, like many vessels serving both sides of the conflict.
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Built in 1996, AGN Ragnar is 30 years old, flagged in Palau, and frequently cited with deficiencies in port state control inspections - including serious issues, like hull corrosion and fire safety shortcomings.
Top image: VesselFinder / Henk Jungerius
