AYA

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Bombing the bulk carrier believed to have been a mistake of the Russians

The Russian missile strike on the 'Aya' on Sep 11 is believed to have been a mistake. The ship, carrying 26,000 tons of grain from Odesa to Egypt, was hit by an AS-4 Kitchen anti-ship missile launched by a Tu-22 Tupolev bomber. However, British military intelligence suggested that the bulk carrier was likely not the intended target. The officials pointed to poor targeting procedures by Russian pilots and the use of aging munitions as the probable cause of the error. The missile’s failure to detonate also helped avoid a potentially catastrophic outcome.

Russia accused of attack on bulk carrier

The Ukraine President Zelenskiy accused Russia of attacking the 'Aya', with 23 Syrian crew members on board and carrying 26,550 tons of wheat in the Black Sea en route from Chornomorsk, where it sailed on Sep 11, 2024, to Egypt, 30 nautical miles away from the town of Sf. Gheorghe, within Romania's Exclusive Economic Zone, at 11.03 p.m. The captain requested a change of course towards Constanța for an assessment of the damages. The maritime surveillance ship 'MAI 0201', which was on patrol mission, was sent to the bulk carrier in coordination with the Romanian Naval Authority, in order to provide assistance in case needed. After communicating with the captain, he did not request assistance. So far, there has been no need for intervention by the border police. The ship was moored off Constanta on Sep 12. The president condemned the attack as being "brazen" and a violation of international norms, endangering global food security and navigational freedom. Ukrainian officials have claimed that the Kh-22 missiles that struck the vessel were launched by Russian Tupolev Tu-22 bombers. The vessel suffered damage on its port side, including its crane and the cargo hold. No injuries were reported among the crew. If confirmed, the act of aggression would escalate tensions between Russia, and NATO military alliance, as the attack was allegedly carried out near the mouth of the Danube River, close to the waters of Romania, Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the Russian armed forces' attack, calling it an unprecedented escalation of Russia's actions in its illegal and unjustified war against Ukraine. The ministry also emphasized that the deliberate targeting of a commercial ship is a serious violation of international humanitarian law governing naval warfare, and firmly urged the Russian Federation to cease all attacks on commercial vessels and to respect the freedom of navigation. The Romanian Ministry of Defense echoed the condemnation, adding that freedom of navigation in the Black Sea must be protected. Ukraine will immediately notify the UN and the International Maritime Organization of the attack which violates a UNGA resolution and threatens freedom of navigation and food security and was an assault on freedom of navigation and global food security, in violation of UN General Assembly Resolution A.1183. Reports with photos: https://www.romania-insider.com/ukrainian-wheat-ship-hit-russian-missile-near-romanian-waters-2024 https://unn.ua/en/news/ukraine-will-inform-the-un-and-the-international-maritime-organization-about-russias-attack-on-a-civilian-vessel-in-the-black-sea-mfa

Chinese court auctions seized ship for $ 2.41 million through Alibaba

A Chinese court has sold a seized foreign ship in online auction for whopping $ 2.41 million through e-commerce giant Alibaba. The Shanghai Maritime Court sold the seized ship for 16.89 million yuan ($ 2.41 million), state-run Global Times reported on Wednesday. The Panamanian-flagged Mahoni was bought by the Hong Kong-based Zhongjiang Ocean Shipping Limited through an auction hosted by Taobao, China’s biggest consumer-to-consumer online shopping platform, and was transferred to the firm by the court on last Friday. Mahoni was seized in May 2016 by the local court in Shanghai Harbour after 31 Filipino crew members filed a lawsuit against the boat’s owner - an Indonesian shipping company - as they claimed they had not been paid for 18 months. The auction attracted 12,112 viewers and went through 63 rounds of offers, before reaching the final price.