Turkish Sailor Survives Cargo Ship Drone Strike Only to Be Killed on Rescue Vessel in Black Sea

First Attack on the Cargo Ship Necibe

The sequence of events began on Tuesday, when the San Marino-flagged bulker Necibe was struck by drones at Russia’s Black Sea port of Tuapse, according to Turkish news reports. The vessel was scheduled to load 20,000 tons of wheat at the facility. Lazoglu’s uncle, Faruk Lazoglu, told Türkiye Today and Hurriyet that his nephew called him immediately after the initial bombing to reassure family members. According to the relative, Ilker Lazoglu stated that he was alive and that another vessel would soon arrive to evacuate the stranded crew. Along with 17 other sailors, Lazoglu was transferred off the damaged bulker and onto the Ural, a Turkish-owned and Cameroon-flagged vessel operating in the region.

Second Strike on the Rescue Vessel Ural

Days after the initial evacuation, the Ural came under drone attack near Novorossiysk, a principal Russian Black Sea port that has faced numerous strikes by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, according to Hurriyet and Türkiye Today. Faruk Lazoglu recounted that he spoke with his nephew by phone during the second attack. According to the family member, Ilker Lazoglu urged calm over the phone and said they were waiting for help before communication was lost. The strike left eight other sailors injured alongside Lazoglu, who suffered critical wounds and later died. The Ural eventually arrived off the coast of Samsun, Türkiye, escorted by tugboats, carrying the injured crew members and Lazoglu’s remains, which were handed over to his family upon arrival.

Wider Black Sea Shipping Risks and Official Statements

Commercial shipping across the Black Sea has faced escalating risks as Ukraine steps up long-range strikes against Russian ports and civilian logistics vessels that Kiev suspects of transporting Russian cargoes. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on August 22, 2026, that Kiev opened a Pandora’s box by targeting civilian targets and logistics. Moscow has condemned the strikes as terrorist acts, warning that Ukraine is playing with fire by attacking third-party civilian ships in the Black Sea, and has retaliated by targeting key Ukrainian ports and shipping routes. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces have reported numerous strikes targeting Russian military logistics and energy resource exports in the Black and Azov seas.