Since the war began in 2022 the Black Sea around the Russian and Ukrainian coast has become a dangerous place for shipping and bathers as sea mines have been heavily deployed, and a number of unexploded mortars and aerial bombs have been recovered by Ukrainian bomb disposal experts near beaches.

Three Ukrainian beachgoers have been killed by sea mines while swimming off the Black Sea coast. A man died when a device exploded 50 metres from the shore near the resort of Karolino-Bugaz, in the Odesa region, at 11.30am local time on Sunday, Ukrainian media reported.