Seven sailors missing after drones hit two tankers off Romania's Black Sea coast
Drones struck two tankers in Romanian territorial waters in the Black Sea, leaving seven sailors missing. A NATO military source says the drones were Russian, while Romania's president declined to name those responsible.
Drones have hit two tankers, the Wine Trader and the Yara J, off Romania's Black Sea coast, setting both ablaze. Seven sailors are missing. The incident adds to concerns over security on a shipping route that Ukraine relies on to export goods during Russia's full-scale invasion.
A NATO military source told Reuters the drones were of Russian origin and caused the fires inside Romanian territorial waters. Romanian President Nicușor Dan confirmed the ships were struck by drones but would not say whether Russia was responsible.
The stricken ships
The missing crew members were aboard the Wine Trader, a San Marino-flagged tanker sailing from Tunisia to Romania. The Yara J, hit late on Wednesday just inside Romanian waters, had all its crew safe.
Political response
Writing on X, Dan said commercial ships were being attacked and sunk, and seafarers killed, injured or missing very close to the shores of Romania and Bulgaria. He called this unacceptable. On Thursday he met Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and they agreed to strengthen defences in the Black Sea. Rutte said NATO would adjust its deterrence and defence posture as needed. The issue is due to be discussed at the North Atlantic Council, NATO's main decision-making body, next week.
Earlier attacks
On Tuesday, drone strikes hit two ships off Bulgaria. Eleven crew members of the HS Dignity, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo ship, are still missing. All 15 crew of the Ukrainian-operated, Malta-flagged Chelsea 3 were evacuated, and five were treated for minor injuries.
According to Reuters, at least 23 sailors have been reported missing or killed in attacks on commercial shipping near the Bulgarian and Romanian coasts over the past 10 days. Radev said the attack's outcome favoured Russia, but there was no solid evidence the drones were Russian.
Russia has intensified its bombing of Ukraine's Black Sea infrastructure, pushing Kyiv to export grain, sunflower oil and other products via Danube river ports and routes off Romania and Bulgaria. A draft EU summit declaration calls attacks on civilian shipping unacceptable and a serious violation of international and maritime law.
