How Bangladeshi sailors on Kairos ship survived after Ukraine drone attack
"Suddenly, there were consecutive explosions. Within moments, fire spread everywhere. Even the lifeboats were burned. Oil spilled all around the ship. There was no way to rely solely on life jackets and jump into the sea, because the extreme cold would have frozen us instantly. I had given up all hope of survival and was saying my final goodbyes to each of my colleagues."
This is how Mahfuzul Islam, the fourth engineer of the oil tanker MT Kairos from Narsingdi, Bangladesh, described the moment when the Ukrainian navy carried out a drone attack on the ship in the Black Sea. He spoke to Prothom Alo via WhatsApp on Sunday afternoon.
While crossing the Black Sea off the coast of Turkey last Friday, the Ukrainian Navy attacked two tankers. Four of the 25 crew members aboard one of those tankers, the MT Kairos, were Bangladeshi. According to the BBC, the two fuel tankers were part of Russia’s 'shadow fleet'.
In addition to Mahfuzul Islam, the other three Bangladeshis were Al Amin from Kushtia, Habibur Rahman from Dhamrai in Dhaka, and Azgor Hossain from Sandwip in Chattogram.
All of them received primary treatment and are now staying in a hotel in Turkey.
Describing the moment of the attack, engineer Mahfuzul Islam told Prothom Alo from Turkey: “We were sailing from Port Suez in Egypt to Novorossiysk port in Russia with empty tankers to load fuel. After crossing the Bosphorus Strait on Friday, we were then passing through the Black Sea. At 4:46pm local time, the first attack struck the propeller.”
Mahfuzul Islam continued: “Three drone-like vessels were speeding toward our tanker. Before we could understand what was happening, the first one hit the propeller. There was a massive explosion. The ship shook violently. We were all stunned. The engine stopped immediately.”
In this situation, the ship’s captain announced that everyone should quickly move to the bridge. I came out of my cabin and was preparing to go upstairs. Exactly 10 minutes later, the second drone struck. The second attack hit the area where the fuel needed to run the ship was stored. After the explosion, flames erupted violently. At that time, the tanker was carrying 1,163 tonnes of fuel.
Mahfuzul Islam said, “After reaching the bridge, all we could think about was how we would be rescued safely. The Turkish Coast Guard was notified. They said it would take them an hour to reach us. Meanwhile, a commercial ship lowered a lifeboat and attempted to rescue us. However, because flames continued to spread over the oil spilled around the ship, the vessel couldn’t reach us. That’s when fear really set in.”
Cadet Al Amin from Kushtia was also serving on the ship.
Speaking to Prothom Alo over WhatsApp, he said, “As the fire was spreading, we quickly tried to lower the lifeboat. Following the captain’s instructions, three of us were trying to prevent the flames from reaching the ship’s lifeboat. But due to strong winds, we failed. The lifeboat caught fire and exploded. Flammable material scattered everywhere.”
Habibur Rahman from Dhamrai in Dhaka was a sailor on the ship. He said, “We were asking each other for forgiveness. It felt like there was no hope of survival. It was as if we returned from the doorway of death.”
Azgor Hossain from Sandwip in Chattogram was also working as a sailor on the ship.
He told Prothom Alo, “When the attack happened, I was on deck. I saw three speedboat-like vessels following us. I immediately informed the captain. After the attack, we realised they were actually drones.”
Azgor Hossain added, “Even now, thinking about that moment sends shivers down my spine. There was fire all around. We were wearing life jackets, but there was no way to jump into the sea—because of the extreme cold, and the water itself was on fire. If the Turkish Coast Guard hadn’t rescued us, we would not have survived.”
Since the incident, the Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers’ Association (BMMOA) has been in contact with international organisations, according to its General Secretary, Sakhawat Hossain.
He told Prothom Alo, “As soon as we learned about the attack, we contacted the International Trade Workers’ Federation in Turkey. If emergency assistance is needed—whether financial, medical, or any other support—they can provide it. However, the ship owner and Turkish authorities are already providing full assistance. The main news is that the sailors are safe.”
This is the second time Bangladeshi sailors have faced life-threatening danger in the Russia-Ukraine war. Earlier, on 2 March 2022, the Bangladeshi ship Banglar Samriddhi was hit by a Russian missile attack at the port of Olvia in Ukraine. The ship’s on-duty engineer, Hadisur Rahman, was killed in that attack. Later, 28 crew members trapped on the ship were rescued alive.