Indian mission in Ukraine accords "highest priority" to safety of seafarers aboard MV AMIR1
Kyiv, July 29
The Indian Embassy in Ukraine on Wednesday said the safety and security of Indian seafarers aboard MV AMIR1 remains its "highest priority" as it continues to monitor the situation involving the vessel.
In a post on X, the embassy said it is in constant touch with all concerned authorities to ensure the well-being of the Indian nationals onboard.
"A situation regarding MV AMIR1 with Indian seafarers onboard has been brought to our attention. We attach the highest priority to this and are in constant touch with all concerned to ensure the safety and security of all Indians onboard," the Embassy of India in Ukraine said.
The embassy, however, did not disclose the nature of the situation involving the vessel or specify the number of Indian seafarers onboard.
The development comes as earlier, on Tuesday, responding to a query on the number of Indian seafarers operating in or transiting the Black Sea region, which has also witnessed attacks on commercial vessels leading to the death of Indian seafarers, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that India has one of the world's largest seafaring communities, with many serving on both Indian and foreign vessels.
"We have the second-largest seafaring community. A lot of them are on Indian vessels, and a lot are also on foreign vessels. As to the exact number of Indian seafarers serving on ships in and around the Black Sea, I don't have the figure with me right now," he said.
On the recent reports of attacks on ships carrying Indian seafarers in the Black Sea region and talks with Russia and Ukraine on the matter, the MEA spokesperson reiterated India's position that commercial shipping, seafarers, civilians and civilian infrastructure should not be targeted.
"We have been very clear in articulating to both our partners and friends and to others also that under no circumstances can commercial shipping or the seafarers or civilians or civilian infrastructure be attacked and it must be avoided, and we have condemned those attacks which have happened recently in the Black Sea region," Jaiswal said.
On Monday, MEA summoned Ukraine's Ambassador to India, Oleksandr Polishchuk, and conveyed New Delhi's "serious concern" over the recent attack on the commercial vessel, MV OMORFI, in the Black Sea that resulted in the death of an Indian seafarer.
Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Ukraine said a merchant vessel, MV Ragnar, carrying four Indian nationals, was struck at the port of Odesa, with two crew members reported safe while information on the remaining two was awaited.
— ANI
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