Azerbaijan confirms deaths, injuries of nationals in Sea of Azov maritime incident

The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that five Azerbaijani citizens were killed and three others injured following a reported drone attack on two foreign cargo vessels in the Taganrog Bay of the Sea of Azov on the night of June 5.

According to the ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada, the vessels Natra and Zirkon were carrying a total of 25 Azerbaijani nationals as part of their crews, although neither ship is owned by Azerbaijan.

Hajizada said that, based on information received from the Russian side, the incident resulted in fatalities among Azerbaijani crew members, while the injured were transferred to a hospital in the Russian city of Yeysk for treatment.

He added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is coordinating closely with relevant state institutions, Azerbaijan’s diplomatic missions abroad, and the competent authorities of the countries concerned to clarify the circumstances of the incident and ensure consular assistance.

Officials from Azerbaijan’s embassy in Russia have been dispatched to the area to support ongoing efforts on the ground.

The ministry said issues relating to the condition of the injured, their possible repatriation, and broader consular support remain under continuous supervision. It also expressed condolences to the families of those killed and wished the injured a swift recovery.

By Aghakazim Guliyev