Four Bangladeshi sailors who survived a missile attack on the oil tanker MT Kairos in the Black Sea are currently stranded in Turkey and are appealing to return home.
The sailors, still traumatised by the incident, are staying at a coastal hotel under the supervision of the ship-owning company.
The attack occurred last Friday when the Ukrainian Navy reportedly fired missiles at two tankers near the Turkish coast, one of which was MT Kairos. The vessel caught fire following the explosions.
The ship was carrying 25 crew members, including four Bangladeshis, Fourth Engineer Mahfuzul Islam of Narsingdi, Deck Cadet Al Amin of Kushtia, Oiler Habibur Rahman of Dhamrai in Dhaka, and Pump Man Azgar Hossain of Sandwip, Chattogram.
The Turkish Coast Guard reached the scene about two and a half hours after the attack and rescued all crew members. However, the Bangladeshis say they have not yet been informed when they will be repatriated.
Speaking to the TIMES of Bangladesh, Azgar Hossain described the terrifying moments after the strike. “We first heard a loud explosion, then another. Within moments, the ship was on fire. We put on life jackets and rushed to the bridge,” he said. “If the tanker had been carrying oil, everything would have burnt within minutes. We survived only because it was empty.”
Four days on, the sailors say they remain shaken. “Our families are distraught and anxious. We urge the government to take immediate steps to bring us back,” Azgar added.
Captain Anam Chowdhury, president of the Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers’ Association, said the sailors are safe but mentally distressed. “We are in contact with them and expect more clarity on their return soon,” he said.
A senior official at the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation said discussions with the sailors’ agents and shipping company are underway. “Whether they return home or join another vessel depends on the terms of their employment contracts with the ship owner,” he noted.
This incident recalls the 2 March, 2022, missile attack on the Bangladesh-flagged vessel MV Banglar Samriddhi at Ukraine’s Olvia port, which killed engineer Hadisur Rahman. The remaining 28 crew members were later rescued.
