London: Three Indian nationals rescued from the Turkish-owned cargo vessel MV Royad Mammadov, which was attacked in the Black Sea on Monday, have departed Romania for India, the Embassy of India in Bucharest said.
“Three Indian nationals, Shri Sahil Sandhu, Shri Ashwini Kumar and Shri Harman Singh, departed for India today (Saturday),” the mission said in a statement on Saturday.
“The Embassy provided all necessary support and assistance to facilitate their return. We express our sincere gratitude to the Romanian authorities, Constanța County Hospital, and the Romanian rescue teams for their invaluable assistance, cooperation and support,” it said.
The vessel, owned by a Turkish company, was carrying corn from Ukraine’s Izmail port to Ravenna in Italy when it was struck in the Black Sea, outside Romania’s territorial waters, on Monday.
Two foreign seafarers were killed and several crew members were injured. All 3 Indian nationals survived, although one sustained injuries and received medical treatment in Romania.
The nationalities of those killed in the attack were not immediately known.
On October 7, an embassy representative visited the 3 Indian nationals who had been rescued from the vessel on October 6.
Two of them were staying at a hotel, while the third was receiving treatment at Constanța County Hospital. All 3 were in stable condition, the mission said in a social media post on October 7.
The embassy also facilitated essential items, including mobile phones, through the shipping company’s local agent and arranged Indian food through a local Indian restaurant.
The mission said it remained in close contact with the authorities concerned and continued to provide the necessary assistance.
India has emerged as the world’s second-largest supplier of seafarers, contributing 311,936 maritime professionals to the global shipping industry, according to the BIMCO-ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2026.
The report estimates that India accounts for 12.16% of the global seafaring workforce, ranking behind the Philippines and ahead of China, Russia and Indonesia.