New Delhi: After five Indians lost their lives recently in separate attacks on commercial ships, the government has urged seafarers working on merchant vessels operating in or transiting the Black Sea to take additional precautions, including insurance coverage and emergency provisions.
In an advisory issued on Sunday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the security situation in and around the Black Sea and adjoining maritime areas is “highly volatile” due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“Commercial vessels operating in or transiting these waters are facing significant security risks, including missile and drone attacks,” the advisory said, pointing out that there has been an increase in such attacks on commercial vessels since April, resulting in the death of five Indians.
Hence, Indian nationals intending to work on commercial vessels operating in or transiting the conflict-affected region were “advised to carefully assess the prevailing security risks before accepting such assignments”.
Seafarers planning to work in the region should exercise “utmost caution” and take other precautions, including obtaining comprehensive information from employers, recruitment agencies and ship operators regarding the vessel’s route, ports of call, security arrangements, insurance coverage and emergency response procedures, the advisory said.
Further, seafarers must ensure their terms of employment comply with international maritime standards and provide “adequate provisions for medical care, evacuation, repatriation, and compensation in the event of an emergency”.
They were also advised to keep their families informed of their itinerary and maintain regular contact, monitor and comply with advisories from the Directorate General of Maritime Administration and other government authorities, as well as safety instructions issued by vessel operators and maritime authorities.
The MEA advisory also urged Indians to consider a security advisory issued by the Directorate General of Maritime Administration on July 23, which called on seafarers to exercise the “highest degree of caution” in the Black Sea following 10 attacks on foreign-flagged vessels with Indian crew members since April.
Emergency contact numbers were provided for those needing consular assistance, as follows:
Embassy of India, Russia: +7 9652773414
Embassy of India, Ukraine: +38 0933559958.