The authorities of Azerbaijan reported the evacuation of 10 residents from the vessel attacked near Odessa.

11 citizens of Azerbaijan were on board the merchant vessel Atlas Bey, which was attacked by a drone off the coast of Odessa. Ten crew members were evacuated, and the search for the captain continues, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry reported.

The merchant vessel off the coast of Odessa, which had 11 citizens of Azerbaijan on board, was attacked by a drone on July 14, according to a statement from the press service of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry sent to the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot".

According to the ministry, the strike was carried out around 15:15 local time (the same as Moscow time) on the civilian merchant vessel Atlas Bey of the Turkish company Okean Maritime.

Except for the captain, who is also a citizen of Azerbaijan, the other crew members were evacuated to the shore in Odessa. Their condition is assessed as satisfactory, the Foreign Ministry emphasized.

The search for the captain of the vessel is ongoing. The Azerbaijani embassy in Ukraine maintains constant contact with the Ukrainian competent authorities and is taking measures to provide the citizens of the country with the necessary consular assistance, the statement said.

The ministry did not specify who is responsible for the attack and did not provide additional circumstances of the incident.

"Caucasian Knot" also reported that on the night of June 5, two foreign cargo vessels were attacked by drones in the Sea of Azov, with 25 citizens of Azerbaijan in their crews. Initially, it was reported that five citizens of Azerbaijan had died, but later the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry clarified that four of the deceased were citizens of Azerbaijan, while the fifth turned out to be a citizen of Russia.