Supreme Court directs MEA to trace Indian seafarers who faced drone attack near Ukraine

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian Embassies in Ukraine and Romania to immediately take steps to ascertain the whereabouts of Indian seafarers aboard a cargo vessel that came under a drone attack near Ukraine.

The Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana today noted that there were conflicting accounts emerging from the incident.

Of the vessel's nine crew members, four were Indian. On report indicated that all four Indians had drowned. Another report indicated that two of the Indian seafarers were rescued at the scene, while the other two had to jump into the water to escape the fire and were currently with the Romanian Coast Guard.

"We expect immediate steps from the Indian Embassy in Ukraine as well as in Romania to gather information about the whereabouts of these seafaring people. We also direct the Ministry of External Affairs to use their diplomatic channels and search in the same process," the Court said in its order today.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Union of India, submitted that the Indian Embassies in Romania and Ukraine, as well as the MEA, would be aware of the facts.

He said he would take instructions and convey updates about the matter to the Court at the earliest opportunity.

The development comes amid a spate of attacks on merchant vessels in the Black Sea, which has emerged as a maritime front in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Just days earlier, the Forward Seamen's Union of India (FSUI) had issued an urgent appeal over a separate vessel, MV AMIR1, saying 13 Indian sailors among its 15 crew were trapped amid repeated drone and missile strikes near the ship. The Indian Embassy in Ukraine has reportedly said that it is attaching the highest priority to their safety.

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