How Bangladeshi sailors survived the Ukrainian drone attack

Despite severe damage to the MT Kairos tanker from a Ukrainian naval drone strike in the Black Sea, four Bangladeshi sailors survived. Mahfuzul Islam, an engineer from Narsingdi, told the media that the first blast shook the ship violently. The second drone struck the fuel section, causing massive flames. With the lifeboat burned and extreme cold preventing escape into the sea, the crew believed death was certain.

The attack occurred on Friday after the vessel crossed the Bosphorus. The Bangladeshi sailors aboard were Mahfuzul Islam, Al Amin, Habibur Rahman and Azgar Hossain. They are now recovering at a hotel in Türkiye.

Mahfuzul said the first strike happened around 4:30 pm, prompting everyone to rush to the bridge. The engine stopped immediately. Ten minutes later the second blast worsened the situation. The tanker had 1,163 tonnes of fuel onboard.

Al Amin reported that, despite attempts to launch the lifeboat as instructed by the captain, it exploded due to the spreading fire. Habibur Rahman added that they were seeking forgiveness from each other, expecting the worst.

Azgar Hossain said they initially saw three fast-moving boats but later understood they were drones. Fire on the water and freezing temperatures made escape impossible. The Turkish Coast Guard eventually rescued them.

The Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers’ Association stated that international bodies were contacted. The shipowner and Turkish authorities provided full support. They also recalled the 2022 attack on Banglar Samriddhi, which killed a Bangladeshi engineer.

Khaborwala/TSN