5 Syrian sailors killed in attacks on ships in the Black Sea
Syria has condemned direct military attacks on commercial ships carrying Syrian sailors and crews in Ukrainian ports and nearby maritime areas in the Black Sea, killing and injuring a number of them.
The General Authority for Ports and Customs said in a statement published on its official identifiers on Monday evening that the targeting of civilian commercial ships and their crews is a "condemnable" act and represents a serious violation of the rules of international law and international humanitarian law, and poses a direct threat to the safety of international maritime navigation and the security of workers in the maritime transport sector, as well as its serious repercussions on the movement of trade and global supply chains.
The Commission added that these attacks "contravene international principles and rules for the protection of maritime navigation and civilian objects", in particular the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, the Geneva Conventions, and established rules of international humanitarian law that prohibit the targeting of civilians and civilian objects, and require that all feasible measures be taken to protect their lives during armed conflicts.
The Commission stressed that commercial vessels used exclusively for civilian activities and not directly involved in military action enjoy the protection guaranteed by international law.
Syria calls for independent international investigation
The Commission called for an independent and transparent international investigation under the supervision of the competent maritime organizations to identify the parties responsible for the attacks, stressing that the affected Syrian seafarers and the families of the victims have the full legal right to financial compensation from the companies and investors operating the targeted vessels, as they are the most vulnerable party in international shipping lanes.
The Authority called for a clear distinction between military objectives and civilian objects and to take measures to ensure the safety of sea lanes and the continued movement of commercial vessels.
It called on all concerned parties to fully abide by the provisions of international law, international humanitarian law, and the rules of safety and maritime navigation, warning shipping companies and ships with Syrian sailors on board from sailing or docking in Black Sea ports and areas witnessing direct military operations, calling for the highest degree of caution and caution to be taken to preserve lives and prevent the recurrence of accidents that threaten the safety of maritime crews.
Russian attacks on two ships in Odesa
Russian attacks in the Black Sea have targeted civilian cargo ships with Syrian sailors on board, leaving dead and wounded among their ranks, shipping sources said, amid warnings of a widening circle of dangers in vital sea lanes.
The sources stated that the cargo ship "Aida" (AIDA), owned by a Syrian shipping company and registered under the Togo flag, was directly bombed while docking in the port of Yuzhny in Odessa province, hitting the ship's subsistence building and superstructure, which led to its complete burning and the death of 3 Syrian sailors: Captain Fadi Mansour, Chief Engineer Ali Reza, and Chief Officer Ibrahim Attia, in addition to 4 other crew members being injured to varying degrees.
In a separate incident, the Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo ship Golden Leo, which is owned by Turkish entities, was attacked while leaving the port of Odessa with a cargo of corn, killing 10 people and injuring others, and its crew of 17 sailors with dual Syrian and Indian nationalities raised the death toll in the recent attacks.
Attack on ship in Chornomorsk
The sources said that the "Wael K" ship was subjected to a Russian attack near the port of Chornomorsk, which led to the death of the second officer on board, a Syrian sailor.
Official statements issued by maritime unions and the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine reserved the triple name of the Syrian officer to avoid the risks of publication before officially informing his family, saying only that he holds Syrian nationality and holds the rank of second officer and direct navigation officer on board.
It stated that he was seriously injured as a result of Russian drones and missiles targeting the ship's superstructure and the command room of the ship (Upperworks) while it was heading to the port of Chornomorsk and later died of his injuries, along with the injury and death of another Syrian sailor on the same crew