Reporting from the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority reported that the Panamanian flagged cargo vessel Helt has been struck whilst anchored 23nm ESE Odesa Port.
According to Dryad Global, the vessel was fired upon and received a hole below the waterline, with images indicating an attack commensurate with a mine strike.
The last report from the vessel indicated a list of 70 degrees. The incident is understood to have taken place approximately 6nm South of Mine warning area D as detailed in the NAVAREA III Warning 092/22.
Reports of the incident involving the Helt follow reporting on the 02 March 22 by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine stating that Russian forces had taken the MV HELT hostage.
While it is unclear what specifically was meant by the term hostage, a statement by the State Border Guard Service said on Facebook on Thursday reads:
Yesterday, the Russians killed a citizen of Bangladesh on the Banglar Samriddhi ship, which was on the roadstead near Mykolaiv, and the day before they took the HELT dry cargo ship hostage. At the same time, the Russians use the HELT ship as a shield to hide behind it from Ukrainian anti-ship weapons, because Ukrainians do not shoot at civilian objects
The reporting comes as a total of 8 other commercial vessels have been involved in incidents since Russia invaded Ukraine. Three vessels have been detained, and another five have been struck by missiles.
