Ship sunk off Turkey coast sailed from Russian port used for smuggling coal from occupied Donbas

A cargo ship VOLGO-BALT 214, which sank off Turkey's Black Sea coast on Monday, Jan 7, was carrying coal from the port of Azov (the Russian Federation) to Samsun (Turkey).

Ukraine's Ministry for Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons (MTOT) says the Russian port in the Rostov region is often used to smuggle coal from the occupied part of Donbas to the ports of Turkey and other countries.

“It should be noted that until the summer of 2017, the ship had sailed under the Russian flag, replacing it for 2 months with the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and later from August 2017 – with the flag of Panama,” the Ministry wrote.

As UNIAN reported earlier, citing Reuters, on January 7, the Volgo Balt 214 vessel, carrying coal, sent a distress signal off the northern coast of Turkey; there were thirteen crew members, including nine Ukraine nationals.

Thirteen crew members were on the bulk carrier including nine Ukraine nationals, two Azerbaijan nationals, and two Russians.

Four Ukrainians died in the accident, further reports said.