One killed, three injured as Ukrainian wheat ship catches fire in Black Sea

A cargo ship carrying Ukrainian wheat has caught fire off the coast of Ukraine’s Odesa region, leaving one person dead and three others injured, regional officials said.

Odesa Regional Governor Oleh Kiper said the vessel, a bulk carrier flying the flag of Guinea-Bissau, was damaged in an attack in the Black Sea. The strike caused damage to the ship’s hull and sparked a fire on board, he said.

“The Russian Federation continues its continuous attacks on civilian vessels in the Black Sea,” Kiper wrote on Telegram, adding that the crew had been evacuated to shore.

Emergency services responded to the incident, while the injured crew members were provided with medical assistance, according to the regional authorities.

The vessel was transporting Ukrainian wheat at the time of the attack, Kiper said.

By Aghakazim Guliyev