Türkiye investigates death on cargo ship hit by drones off Russia

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced on Monday the launch of a formal investigation into the death of a crew member aboard the Panama-flagged cargo vessel ASOMATOS, which sustained multiple drone strikes off Russia's Kavkaz region before sailing into Turkish waters and anchoring off Istanbul's Sariyer district.

Drone attack off Russia

The commercial vessel came under attack on July 16 while waiting to load off Russia's Kavkaz region, according to initial findings. The first drone struck the starboard side at approximately 12:30 a.m. local time on July 17, followed by a second hit on the funnel and deck that damaged living quarters, while a third drone struck the ship's No. 3 crane.

Investigation in Turkish waters

Turkish Coast Guard officials notified prosecutors of the fatality after the ship anchored about three nautical miles off Kisirkaya Beach on July 17. A prosecutor and crime scene investigation team subsequently traveled to the vessel by sea to collect evidence and oversee an autopsy of the deceased crew member, who is believed to have been an Indonesian national, according to the prosecutor's office.

Preliminary information showed that 24 people were aboard the ship, including three Russian port officials, three Greek nationals, four Egyptian nationals and 14 Indonesian nationals. The vessel was carrying 4,751 metric tons of wheat, and prosecutors noted that no malfunction was detected in its engine systems. The onboard examination and detailed investigation into all aspects of the incident remained underway, the office added.