Civilian Cargo Ship NS PRIDE Struck Near Odesa Coast, Crew Unharmed

A civilian cargo vessel, NS PRIDE, sailing under the flag of Belize, was damaged in an explosion near the coast of Ukraine’s Odesa region, close to the port city of Chornomorsk.

Local news outlet Dumska reported the incident.

According to sources, no injuries were reported among the crew. The ship remains afloat, and there are no signs of water ingress into the hull.

Preliminary reports suggest that the explosion was caused by an unexploded part of a Shahed kamikaze drone that had been shot down the day before. The Ukrainian Navy confirmed the incident, stating that the vessel had collided with an explosive object.

It is also worth noting that the object could have been a drifting naval mine.

“The civilian vessel exploded on an unidentified explosive device. As for the consequences, there are no casualties among the crew; the ship sustained minor damage and is currently being inspected. It is likely to continue its journey under its own power. As for the overall situation, unfortunately, due to the actions of the Russian invaders, a large number of explosive objects remain at sea. And in a constantly moving maritime environment, it is, of course, impossible to predict such incidents with 100% certainty. We are doing everything necessary to protect civilian vessels from such dangers,” Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk told Dumska.

He emphasized that thanks to the work of mine countermeasure forces, the number of such incidents has been significantly reduced, although eliminating the risks entirely is impossible. According to him, the situation remains under control.

At the time of the incident, the NS PRIDE vessel was sailing without cargo. It is 95 meters long, 16 meters wide, and has a deadweight of 3,376 tons. Built in 1988, the ship has changed its name at least 13 times over the course of its operation.

Black Sea Demining

Joint mine-clearing forces from Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria are operating in the region—an effort that is not considered a NATO operation. This became the first major joint initiative by Black Sea countries since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The group’s mission is to neutralize mines drifting in certain parts of the Black Sea as a result of the war. The agreement to form the joint task force was signed on January 11, 2024.

The group’s activities are not directed against any other country, and the demining operation in the Black Sea is expected to improve cooperation among the participating nations.

It is noted that the initiative remains open for joint actions and participation of mine countermeasure forces and assets from other NATO member countries located outside the Black Sea region.

The mine countermeasure group will create safe conditions for the navigation of civilian ships in the Black Sea, minimizing the risk of explosions.

It is also known that Turkey will not allow the Ukrainian minehunters Cherkasy and Chernihiv to pass through.