"On September 26, in the Atlantic Ocean, at a distance of about 1,200 nautical miles from Martinique (the overseas department of France), the Bourbon Rhode vessel disappeared as a result of the storm. Ukrainian citizens were among its crew, Kyrylych said.
The search operation is conducted by the Fort De France Maritime Rescue and Coordination Center (MRCC).
The Consular Services Department is in communication with the shipowner representative and the MRCC Regional Center.
The news agency, citing its sources, notes that there were about 10 Ukrainians on the ship.
"As a result of stormy weather that headed west of the Tarkhankut peninsula (temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea), the Melita cargo ship (IMO 8230479, MMSI: 273395390) under the flag of the Russian Federation, heading from the port of Astrakhan to the port of Konstanz, was forced to deviate from the recommended route and enter the territorial waters of Ukraine at a distance of 5 miles," the report said.
The vessel was promptly found aboard the Tendra Spit, its crew was questioned according to the protocol with the help of the Maritime Security of the State Border Service of Ukraine. It was done despite the formal grounds for detaining the vessel (violation of the state border of Ukraine, AIS system turned off), taking into account the circumstances and in accordance with the provisions of the International Convention on Territorial Sea, UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, to the professional actions.
