The press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has reported that the UMC-1000 patrol boat, with 7 crew on board, exploded at 2:20 pm local time, four kilometers off the coast of the Donetsk region city of Mariupol, during a coastal patrol mission.
На пляже около Мариуполя взорвался катер http://t.co/274Tjs8zVk pic.twitter.com/xKZu4vJyIS
— РСН (@rusnovosti) June 7, 2015
Фото с места подрыва пограничного катера в Мариуполе. По данным МВД катер подорвался на взрывном устройстве. pic.twitter.com/Fdj5HeYye8
— Сводки Новороссии (@myrevolutionrus) June 7, 2015
The Ministry's press service stated that the vessel ran into an explosive device.
At present it is believed that two boarder guard personnel have been injured by the blast. Ukrainian authorities have yet to report on the condition of the other five crewmen. Earlier, local media reported four injuries, three of moderate severity and one with light injuries. Two more coast guard boats were sent to rescue the personnel, stranded at sea as the gunboat listed heavily. Mariupol-based news portal 0629.com.ua has reported that the boat is no longer visible from the shore, and may have sunk.
