Two Indian Seafarers Confirmed Dead in Odesa Missile Strike; Eight Others Still Unidentified

Two Indian seafarers have been confirmed among the ten crew members killed when the general cargo vessel MV Golden Leo was struck by missiles while departing the Port of Odesa on Sunday, July 19, 2026. The deceased have been identified as Chief Officer Akhil Jovan, 26, of Kerala, and Ordinary Seaman Abhishek Nishad, 21, of Uttar Pradesh. Both had signed on to the vessel in Istanbul on June 12.

The Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel, carrying a cargo of grain, was struck by three missiles at approximately 1600 hrs local time as it exited the port, according to official sources. A Ukrainian port pilot was on board guiding the vessel out of harbour at the time of the attack.

Golden Leo carried 17 crew members — five Indian nationals and 12 Syrian nationals — in addition to the Ukrainian pilot. The ship was under the command of Master Ahmad Hamwia, a Syrian national.

All ten crew initially listed as missing have now been confirmed dead, and all bodies have been recovered. Eight of the ten remain unidentified due to severe burns sustained in the attack. Identification is pending through established forensic procedures. The bodies of two more Indian seafarers are among those yet to be identified.

Eight others, including a third Indian national serving as Third Officer, were rescued and are undergoing hospital treatment.

The Indian seafarers on board were engaged through a Navi Mumbai-based recruitment and placement service licence (RPSL) holder.

Golden Leo, built and operating under the Guinea-Bissau flag, was struck just outside the Odesa Sea Port Control area — one of the exit channels vessels use after loading at the port’s grain terminals. The port has been a focal point of maritime conflict amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.