One more merchant vessel has been hit by a projectile in the Black Sea port of Odessa in Ukraine. Two Indian seafarers on board are confirmed to be safe, while information is awaited on the fate of other two Indian nationals on ship.In New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs issued an advisory listing out a set of “precautions” for Indian merchant seafarers asking them to “carefully assess” the prevailing security risks before accepting assignments in the Black Sea.The Indian Embassy in Ukraine said: “MV AGN RAGNAR was struck at the Port of Odessa on July25. Four Indian nationals were on board the vessel.”Two had been confirmed safe, and information was awaited regarding the other two nationals. Search and rescue operations were under way, said the embassy adding that it was in constant touch with the authorities concerned. The announcement did not specify who had fired the projectile that hit the merchant ship.On July 19, four Indian seafarers were killed near Ukrainian port of Odessa when MV Golden Leo, a Guinea Bissau-flagged ship, was hit by projectiles that led to the death of 10 seafarers out of whom four were Indians. This incident prompted the MEA to summon the chargé d’affaires of the Russian Embassy in India.On the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Manila on July 22, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar conveyed India’s “strong concern” over the safety of Indian seafarers in the region during a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.The MEA advisory to Indian nationals undertaking employment on commercial vessels said the security situation in and around the Black Sea and adjoining maritime areas remained highly volatile due to the ongoing conflict. Commercial vessels operating in or transiting these waters were facing significant security risks, including missile and drone attacks, the advisory added.Indian nationals intending to undertake employment on commercial vessels operating in or transiting the conflict-affected region of Black Sea have been advised to carefully assess the prevailing security risks before accepting such assignments. Those who choose to undertake such employment should exercise the utmost caution and observe precautions.Listing the precautions, the MEA said seafarers needed to obtain comprehensive information from employers, recruitment agencies and ship operators regarding the vessel’s intended route, ports of call, security arrangements, insurance coverage, and emergency response procedures. Also there was need to ensure that terms of employment comply with applicable international maritime standards and provide adequate provisions for medical care, evacuation, repatriation, and compensation in the event of an emergency.Indian nationals are advised to refer to the recent security advisory issued by the Directorate General of Maritime Administration, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, on July 23.Since April 2026, there has been an increase in the number of such incidents on commercial vessels, which has also resulted in the tragic loss of five Indian lives.