A DRONE attack on the Ukrainian port of Izmail on 2 August hit the local seafarers centre.
The Izmail Seafarers Centre was housing families made homeless by bombing in other parts of the country.
The ITF Seafarers’ trust said the building was significantly damaged, but there were no casualties because resident families and staff had already taken shelter in the basement.
The Marine Transport Workers’ Trade Union of Ukraine (MTWTU) runs the centre. It was previously funded by the ITF Seafarers’ Trust.
MTWTU chair Oleg Grigoryuk said the union was in a state of shock.
“This centre was providing humanitarian support to seafarers and their families displaced by the war,” he said.
“This senseless destruction comes on top of the devastation already inflicted on the maritime cities of Mariupol, Kherson and Odesa. When will it end?”
ITF Seafarers’ Trust chair David Heindel said: “Our hearts go out to the seafarers’ families and staff of the centre.
“We are all witnessing the dreadful consequences of this senseless war from afar, but this brings it closer to home,” he said.
“Our seafarers’ families and union staff should not have to endure terror.”
And Katie Higginbottom, head of the ITF Seafarers’ Trust, said the organisation was relieved there was no loss of life on this occasion, but it is conscious of the “relentless psychological stress” caused by such “vicious” acts.
“We will be offering all possible support to our Ukrainian colleagues and standing by to repair the physical damage to the centre,” she said.
The Russian drone attack that damaged the centre destroyed other buildings in the port of Izmail and halted ships on their way to load grain.
A report from Reuters said attacks on the inland port damaged almost 40,000 tons of grain destined for countries in Africa as well as China and Israel.
