A tragic incident has claimed three lives on Ukraine’s Black Sea coast, after explosive devices detonated near swimmers at a popular tourist spot in the Odesa region.
According to The Independent, the blast occurred around 11:30 a.m. on Sunday between Karolino-Buhaz and Zatoka, two resort areas near Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi. Local officials confirmed that two men and one woman were killed instantly while swimming in waters that had been officially closed due to wartime dangers.
Ukrainian outlet Pravda reported that witnesses heard two explosions moments apart. Emergency services responded quickly, but the victims could not be saved. Authorities believe the devices were likely sea mines or other remnants of the ongoing war that have drifted into recreational areas along the Black Sea.
“This tragedy is another reminder that Odesa’s beaches are extremely dangerous during wartime,” regional officials said. “Despite repeated warnings, people continue to enter prohibited zones.”
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, drifting mines and unexploded ordnance have posed a persistent threat in the Black Sea. According to UNILAD, engineers and demining teams conduct regular patrols, but shifting tides and storms make it impossible to guarantee safety. Several incidents of explosives washing ashore have already been documented, prompting the government to impose strict restrictions on coastal access.
Authorities emphasized that the victims had entered a closed swimming zone marked with warning signs. “Ignoring safety rules in wartime can have fatal consequences,” Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said in a statement quoted by The Independent.
Odesa, once a bustling summer destination for domestic and international tourists, has seen its beaches transformed into zones of risk. Many stretches remain off-limits, though some limited areas are monitored and occasionally opened. Still, officials urge residents and visitors alike to stay away from the shoreline.
Regional leaders expressed condolences to the families of the victims. “Even far from the front line, the war continues to take innocent civilian lives,” one official told reporters.
The Ukrainian government is now reviewing further restrictions on access to coastal areas and increasing patrols. Meanwhile, residents of Odesa are mourning the sudden and violent loss of three lives in what should have been a simple day by the sea.
As The Independent concluded in its report, the blasts underscore a grim reality: the Black Sea, once a symbol of leisure, has become a dangerous frontier of the ongoing war.