Azerbaijan MFA working to return wounded Azerbaijani sailors and bodies of deceased colleagues - PHOTO - UPDATED

Two Azerbaijani sailors were killed and two others injured in a drone attack on the foreign cargo vessel TEDY in the Black Sea on September 9.

According to the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, the deceased Azerbaijani citizens are Aslan Aliyev and Asim Gasimov, while the injured, Imran Novruzov and Rauf Aliyev, were hospitalized in the city hospital of Chornomorsk in Ukraine.

Currently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is coordinating with Azerbaijan's diplomatic missions and authorized agencies of the relevant states. Measures are being taken to repatriate the citizens following their medical examination and treatment, provide necessary consular support, and carry out procedures related to the repatriation of the bodies of the deceased.

"We once again urge Azerbaijani citizens to refrain from traveling to regions where hostilities are ongoing or where the security situation is unstable, from working in these territories, as well as from operating on vehicles, including ships, navigating these routes," the Azerbaijani MFA statement reads.

13:20

Yesterday morning, in the Black Sea area near the port of Odessa, the tugboat "TEDY" (IMO 9059200), sailing under the flag of Somalia and owned by the company "Mert Marine Corporation," came under a drone attack.

This was reported today by the public association "Support for Azerbaijani Sailors."

On board the vessel there was a crew of 10 people: 4 citizens of Azerbaijan, 3 of Turkey, 2 of Germany, and 1 of Ukraine.

Last night, the same tugboat, on its way to the port of Constanta, came under drone attack twice.

"Unfortunately, 2 of our sailors died. Aliyev Aslan and Gasimov Asim. Another 2 of our sailors are currently undergoing treatment for burns in a hospital in the city of Odessa," the report says.