The Greek general cargo ship VYSSOS was hit by a Russian sea mine near the stern, or possibly in close proximity, while en route to the Danube Izmail port in Ukraine to load grain.
The explosion, which occurred at approximately 0545 UTC on December 27, was so powerful that the ship's stern was lifted out of the water and caused a blackout, shutting down all machinery. Fortunately, the quick and correct response of the captain, who was on the bridge at the time, prevented the ship from sinking. Instead, the severely damaged vessel was steered to a nearby breakwater or mole and intentionally grounded. The ship's Automatic Identification System (AIS) stopped transmitting around 1400 UTC on the same day. Thankfully, none of the 18 crew members were killed, although the ship's cook suffered a head injury and had to be taken to the hospital. The remaining crew members, consisting of 3 Ukrainians, 2 Turks, and 13 Egyptians, are reported to be in relatively good health. The VYSSOS is a general cargo ship with an International Maritime Organization (IMO) number of 9385790. It has a deadweight tonnage (dwt) of 8758 and was built in 2007. The ship is flagged in Panama and managed by NAVA SHIPPING LTD, with American Steamship Owner P&I association as the insurer.
