Two Azerbaijani Crew Members Killed as Drone Strikes Hit Black Sea Tugboat

The Somali-flagged tugboat TEDY, owned by Mert Marine Corporation, was hit by drones close to Odesa and suffered two further strikes overnight while en route to Constanta, resulting in the deaths of Azerbaijani crew members Aslan Aliyev and Asim Gasimov. Fellow Azerbaijanis Imran Novruzov and Rauf Aliyev were hospitalized in Chornomorsk with severe burns, and six other crew members received on-site treatment. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the fatalities and said it is coordinating with diplomatic missions to return the wounded and handle the deceased, without attributing responsibility.

Ukraine’s Ministry for Restoration, Infrastructure and Transport accused Russia of the attack, describing it as part of a broader campaign against civilian shipping, a claim echoed by Russia’s Defence Ministry which said it targeted vessels carrying military supplies. The incident follows a pattern of increased drone assaults on civilian ships in the Black Sea since July, raising concerns for seafarers and threatening grain export routes that were previously protected under the Black Sea Grain Initiative.