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A cargo ship carrying an Indian crew came under a drone attack while sailing from Russia's Novorossiysk to Karachi on September 2, 2026, with all 23 Indian sailors onboard reported safe.

The vessel, MV BARYON (IMO 9151412), was struck by a drone in its accommodation area, triggering a fire onboard. The crew quickly brought the blaze under control, allowing the ship to continue its journey under its own engine power.

Manoj Yadav, general secretary of the Forward Seamen's Union of India (FSUI), said a second drone was also reportedly spotted during the attack. According to the information available so far, none of the 23 Indian sailors onboard was injured.

Drone Attack Raises Fresh Concerns Over Sailor Safety

The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of Indian seafarers working aboard commercial vessels operating through conflict-affected waters.

Yadav said Indian sailors play an important role in keeping international trade moving but are not parties to the conflicts taking place around major shipping routes. Despite this, commercial vessels carrying Indian crews continue to face security risks.

The latest attack comes amid a series of incidents involving merchant vessels carrying Indian nationals in strategically important waterways and surrounding regions.

Earlier Incidents Involving Indian Sailors

A vessel carrying 22 crew members, including 21 Indians, came under attack in the Strait of Hormuz on April 22. The FSUI described the incident as a distressing confrontation and said the attack was carried out by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Another major incident occurred on June 9, when the US military launched a precision strike on the Palau-flagged oil tanker Settebello in the Gulf of Oman.

Commercial vessels carrying Indian nationals have also faced piracy threats. According to a senior shipping ministry official, two vessels were hijacked in separate incidents off Yemen and Somalia, involving a total of 22 Indian nationals.

More Indian Crews Caught in Maritime Security Risks

The Eritrea-flagged oil products tanker M.T. Sibu 1, carrying 20 crew members, including 16 Indians, was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden on August 20. The vessel was around 30 nautical miles off the Yemeni coast when the incident took place, according to the official.

In another incident, a Mozambique-flagged LPG tanker carrying 28 Indian crew members came under attack in Iranian territorial waters on July 24. All crew members were reported safe.

Against this backdrop, the drone attack on MV BARYON has once again brought the risks faced by Indian seafarers into focus, even as commercial ships continue to operate along vital international trade routes.