A large fire broke out on a Turkish car ferry anchored at the Ukrainian port city of Odesa after it was hit in a strike on Friday.
The company that operates the Cenk T confirmed the attack occurred at 16:00 local time (14:00 GMT) shortly after it docked at the Chornomorsk port.
Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelensky has blamed the strike on Russia, which has not commented.
The attack came hours after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan talked about a potential ceasefire for energy facilities with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, Russia has resisted all calls for a truce.
Moscow has threatened to cut Ukraine off from the sea in retaliation for Ukraine's maritime drone attacks targeting Russian oil tankers.
The Cenk Denizcilik company noted that the ferry was carrying essential food supplies when it was hit. Emergency crews were activated immediately, and fortunately, there were no reports of casualties among the crew.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry has highlighted the necessity for agreements ensuring the security of maritime routes, urging an end to hostilities.
The incident underscores the complexities of international relations in the region as Turkey aims to maintain a balancing act between Russia and Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict.
