Two people lost their lives after the Ukrainian trawler ‘Ivan Golubets’ sank in the night hours of Monday off the coast of Mauritania. The vessel had been burning for two days before sinking, according to data provided by local media.
At the time of the incident, there was a total of 90 people onboard, citizens of Ukraine and Russia.
The fire began in the engine room on 19 July and quickly spread to the deck, which made the captain to order evacuation. People were transferred to the trawler ‘Marshal Krylov’.
The former Ukrainian presidential representative in Crimea, Borys Babin, informed via his Facebook account that two fishermen were confirmed dead.
Ivan Golubets is owned by a Ukrainian state-owned company and is flying the flag of Georgia.
The vessel is one of four ocean trawlers owned by Ukraine.
A video circulated through social media shows the vessel engulfed in flames.