A large fire broke out on a Turkish car ferry anchored at the Ukrainian port city of Odesa after it was hit in a strike on Friday.
The company that operates the Cenk T confirmed the attack occurred at 16:00 local time (14:00 GMT) shortly after it docked at the Chornomorsk port.
Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelensky has blamed the strike on Russia, which has not commented.
The attack came hours after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told Russian President Vladimir Putin that a limited ceasefire for energy facilities and ports could be beneficial. Russia has resisted all calls for a ceasefire.
Moscow has threatened to cut 'Ukraine off from the sea' in response to Kyiv's maritime drone attacks on Russia's oil tankers, crucial for funding the ongoing war.
Cenk Denizcilik, the company that owns the cargo ship operating on the Karasu-Odesa route, stated it had been carrying 'essential food supplies' when it was hit shortly after anchoring.
Emergency response measures were activated with the vessel's crew, port fire brigade, and assisting tugboats after a fire broke out on the ship.
There are currently no reports of casualties among the crew, the company confirmed.
Video footage shared on Zelensky's Telegram account shows crews attempting to extinguish the blaze.
Condemning the missile attack, the Ukrainian leader emphasized that it targeted a civilian ship, stating it had no military significance.
Turkey's foreign ministry stressed the need for an agreement to ensure shipping security and to prevent further attacks on energy infrastructure.
Turkey has aimed to maintain a neutral stance between Ukraine and Russia since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022 and controls the Bosphorus Strait, a key transport route for Ukrainian grain and Russian oil.
The situation continues to escalate with subsequent strikes on Odesa knocking out electricity to thousands, further underscoring the threat to civilian infrastructure amidst the ongoing conflict.
