India says citizen killed in Black Sea attack on commercial ship

India said on Friday that one of its nationals was killed in an attack last week on a commercial vessel in the Black Sea.

The foreign ministry said the MV Omorfi, which had three Indian nationals on board, was attacked on July 18 while transiting the Black Sea, reportedly in Russian territorial waters. The ministry condemned the strike and said attacks on commercial shipping put civilian crew members at risk.

The ministry also said threats to freedom of navigation and international commerce were a serious concern.

New Delhi issued a security warning on Thursday for ships heading into the Black Sea that are locally flagged or employ Indian seafarers. The warning followed the deaths of four Indian nationals in a Russian attack on a cargo ship leaving Ukraine. India also summoned Russia's top envoy in New Delhi to protest that attack.

India is one of the largest contributors of sailors to global merchant shipping. Its shipping ministry said it had more than 320,000 active seafarers in 2025.