The Sea Ports Authority of Ukraine has confirmed a deadly explosion aboard the dredger Ingulskiy in the Bystre waterway, likely caused by a mine, resulting in three fatalities and multiple injuries among the 11 crew members. The incident occurred on July 23 near Vilkovo in the Danube Delta, leading to the closure of the Bystre channel while emergency authorities investigate. The Ingulskiy, a Damen-built vessel, has reportedly sunk. The Bystre waterway, critical for Ukrainian and regional commerce, had been reopened in 2022 after the liberation of Snake Island and serves as a key alternative to the Romanian-controlled Sulina channel, which remains open.

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