HS Dignity crew survives drone attack as Black Sea trade stalls

The Black Sea has become a hazardous zone for commercial shipping this month. Just after 1:30 a.m. on Oct. 13, the cargo ship HS Dignity took a drone strike to its hull. The vessel began sinking in heavy swells, and the captain ordered the 16 crew members to abandon ship. Most of the sailors are Syrian and Egyptian nationals.

Chief officer Ashraf Mamdouh said the crew saw a fast-moving boat approach in the dark. They thought rescuers had arrived. "We realized that this boat was also part of the group that was attacking us. Of course, we all ran," Mamdouh said. A second drone rammed the ship before the lifeboats were fully deployed. Mamdouh is one of five survivors. Eleven crew members remain missing.

Maritime analysts estimate that nearly 50 commercial vessels have been attacked in the Black Sea since the start of October. The strikes have brought traffic through this key corridor to a standstill. NATO has increased maritime security by deploying more patrol boats and radar systems. At least 31 seafarers have been killed or are missing in these incidents.

Many attacks occurred in the western Black Sea, near the coasts of NATO members Bulgaria and Romania. On Friday, a search-and-rescue operation launched after drones hit a Comoros-flagged ship just outside Romanian waters. One of the 13 crew members is dead, and three are missing. Romanian President Nicușor Dan blamed Russia for the strike.

Data from the maritime risk firm Ambrey suggests more than 500 attacks on commercial vessels have occurred in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov this year. Ambrey attributes 40 of the 45 attacks recorded in October to Russia. The Russian Ministry of Defence has acknowledged striking dozens of ships this month, claiming they supported Ukraine's military. Mamdouh said the Dignity had sailed from Algeria and was heading to Romania to load grain.

Hamza Suleiman, an 18-year-old Syrian sailor, is among the missing on the Dignity. His father, Basel, said his son called on the night of Oct. 12 to say, "Dad, we're in Bulgaria now." Basel said Hamza was assigned to the deck and grew fearful after the Alfa Watan was struck by drones on Oct. 6. Ten crew members from that ship, mostly Syrian, have not been recovered. Mamdouh told Basel he last saw Hamza wearing a life jacket.

Khaldoun Nabelsi, head of the Syrian Seafarers Association of the U.K., has counted at least 18 Syrian seafarers killed. "Nobody is forced to take these jobs, but in other ways you are forced. If you want to work, you have to go," Nabelsi said. The Philippine government has barred its citizens from boarding vessels in the northern Black Sea.

Shipping companies are scaling back operations. Turkey-based ED Shipping has laid up 19 of its 26 vessels, according to chief financial officer Demre İşcen. The company is losing millions of dollars each month. Its ship Circon was hit on June 5 in the Sea of Azov, killing two crew members. Ukraine acknowledged that attack, saying the vessels carried stolen Ukrainian grain, military cargo and fuel. İşcen disputes this, saying the ship was heading to load Russian grain. Mamdouh and the other survivors are waiting in Bulgaria for new documents to fly home. "I will not go back to the Black Sea again. Never," Mamdouh said.