Commercial shipping in the Black Sea faces an escalating security crisis as drone strikes against non-military vessels surge amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, rattling regional maritime workers and prompting diplomatic friction with Ankara. According to data from the Turkish Chamber of Maritime Commerce (IMEAK), 226 civil and commercial vessels have been attacked since the war began, with more than 70% of those incidents occurring in the first eight months of 2026.
The Deadly Toll on the Deck of the Duru 67
The human cost of the conflict has hit Turkey’s maritime community directly. On June 5, off the coast of Crimea, the Turkish-flagged commercial vessel Duru 67 was struck twice by a drone while the crew finished breakfast.
Ahmet Ozlu, a 40-year-old fisherman on board, recounted the attack, noting that an explosion threw crew members across the main deck as fire and smoke engulfed the ship. The captain and childhood friend of the crew, 45-year-old Cuneyt Varlik, was killed instantly by shrapnel that severed his carotid artery.
"We thought we were going to die. And we were terrified at the idea of another strike," Ozlu said, noting that survivors waited an hour for rescue as the vessel took on water.
Surviving the MV Reyhan Sari
Subsequent attacks have deepened the trauma across the sector. On July 22, a drone strike on the MV Reyhan Sari, which was carrying Russian coal, left one person dead and three others injured. Enes Torun, a 21-year-old cadet who was sleeping on board when shrapnel riddled his body, said the incident ended his willingness to operate in the region.
"Today, going into the Black Sea means accepting the possibility of dying," Torun said. He noted that while shipowners collect insurance payouts and high freight rates, civilian crews bear the lethal risks.
Ankara Pushes Back as Diplomacy Stalls
The Turkish government has grown increasingly frustrated by the attacks, which target commercial vessels regardless of their registry or cargo. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan criticized both belligerents for hitting commercial ships without distinction.
Ankara recently presented a new proposal to Russia and Ukraine aimed at halting the strikes, though Fidan admitted the warring parties returned with positions that remain difficult to reconcile. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the United Nations General Assembly, denouncing the attacks as unacceptable and holding both sides accountable.
Geopolitical Pressures and Shadow Fleets
Observers note that Turkey's influence is constrained by the broader geopolitical dynamics of the war. Serhat Guvenc, an analyst at Kadir Has University, explained that both Moscow and Kyiv are attempting to lock each other out of the Black Sea and are willing to target non-belligerents to deny economic advantages.
"The Ukrainians are not satisfied with Turkey’s reluctance to prevent ships of the so-called shadow fleet from passing, so they are trying to show it the cost of inaction," Guvenc said.
Shattered Livelihoods in Regional Ports
Beyond the immediate loss of life, the maritime insecurity threatens vital regional economies centered on fishing and shipping. Mehmet Ozlu, Ahmet’s older brother and a fellow survivor of the Duru 67 attack, remains traumatized and unable to work as he helps repair nets at the port of Trabzon.
"As a state, Ukraine owes us an answer and compensation, because this has ruined my future and that of my children," Mehmet Ozlu said.
Local leaders warn that even small-scale artisanal fishing is now fraught with anxiety. Mustafa Yilmaz, a local fisheries administrator in the region, stated that fishermen feel unsafe even during routine night operations. With 22 Turkish-owned vessels targeted in a two-month window prior to late summer, maritime workers face a stark choice between abandoning their livelihoods or risking their lives in a contested war zone.
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