Three crew members were critically injured after a Turkish-owned roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) cargo ship came under a drone attack in the Black Sea on Monday, Turkish maritime authorities said.

The NADEZHDA, a Turkish-owned cargo vessel sailing from Russia's Novorossiysk to the Turkish port of Samsun, was attacked about 20 nautical miles (37 kilometers) off Novorossiysk on Monday, according to a statement by Türkiye's Directorate General of Maritime Affairs.

The vessel was carrying 22 crew members, including 13 Turkish nationals.

Initial assessments indicated the ship sustained damage to its living quarters and bow, while a fire continued to burn on board.

The Directorate General of Maritime Affairs said that, following coordination with Russia's Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) in Novorossiysk, all crew members were safely evacuated to the Russian port by Russian maritime units.