Bulk carrier carrying grain hits mine in Black Sea

A merchant ship carrying grain has been slightly damaged off the coast of Ukraine. It is likely to have hit a floating sea mine.

Source: Reuters, citing maritime experts and Ukrainian government sources

Details: Four maritime and trade sources reported that the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Georgia S, loaded with wheat, was en route from Pivdennyi port (Odesa Oblast) when it was damaged on the high seas on Thursday.

A Ukrainian government source said the vessel was likely hit by a floating sea mine.

According to MarineTraffic, a ship tracking and maritime analytics company, the vessel was heading to the Romanian port of Constanta.

Background:

• Reuters quoted sources as saying that a Turkish cargo ship hit a mine in the Black Sea off the coast of Romania on 5 October, but remained almost unharmed.
• It was reported in August that an explosion occurred in the sea near the Romanian resort village of Costinești. It is likely that a sea mine hit the pier and exploded, causing minor damage, and no one was injured.
• On 16 October, a Liberian-flagged oil tanker hit a mine in the Black Sea off the coast of Romania.
• Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Romanian, Bulgarian and Turkish military diving teams have been clearing mines drifting in their waters.

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