Three Indian nationals who were rescued following a drone strike on a Turkish-owned cargo ship in the Black Sea have departed Romania for India. The Indian Embassy in Bucharest confirmed the departure on Saturday, marking the conclusion of the mission's efforts to assist the survivors after the incident occurred earlier this week.
The vessel, identified as the MV Royad Mammadov, was struck on Monday while transporting corn from Ukraine’s Izmail port to Ravenna, Italy. The attack took place outside of Romanian territorial waters. While all three Indian crew members—Sahil Sandhu, Ashwini Kumar, and Harman Singh—survived the strike, the incident resulted in the deaths of two other foreign seafarers and left several others injured. One of the rescued Indian nationals required medical attention and was treated at the Constanța County Hospital.
Following the rescue on October 6, the Indian Embassy provided immediate consular support to the three men. The mission coordinated with the ship’s local agent to provide essential supplies, such as mobile phones, and arranged for Indian meals through a local restaurant. Embassy representatives also visited the survivors at their hotel and the hospital on October 7, confirming that all three were in stable condition before facilitating their return home.
The Embassy has officially expressed its gratitude to the Romanian rescue teams, the medical staff at Constanța County Hospital, and the Romanian authorities for their cooperation and assistance throughout the repatriation process. India currently remains a significant contributor to the global maritime workforce, supplying over 311,000 professionals to the shipping industry. As of the most recent data, Indian seafarers account for approximately 12.16% of the global workforce, placing India as the world's second-largest supplier of maritime personnel, trailing only the Philippines.
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