Turkish-Controlled Bulker Reportedly Hit by Shell in the Black Sea

Turkey’s president and maritime affairs department were quick to condemn a reported attack on a Turkish-controlled bulker that they said was hit by a shell or possibly a missile while sailing in the Black Sea. It was the latest report of merchant ships finding themselves caught in the crossfire after Russia launched its assault on Ukraine early today.

"Following the information that a bomb hit the Turkish-owned Yasa Jupiter with the Marshall Islands flag off the coast of Odessa, which came to AAKKM, it was learned during the meeting that there was no request for help, that the ship was in transit to Romanian territorial waters, that there was no loss of life and that it was safe," reported the Turkish General Directorate of Maritime Affairs in a brief statement on Twitter.

Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, however, issued a stronger statement denouncing the attack on the ship and the assault. Calling it a violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and an unjustified attack he said that “Turkey supports Ukraine’s struggle to preserve its territorial integrity,"

The Turkish ministry issued a single photo reported to the wheelhouse of the bulker Yasa Jupiter. The 61,000 dwt bulker had reportedly departed the port of Dneprobugsky in Ukraine and its AIS was showing a destination of N....