Seven Sailors Missing After Drone Strikes Hit Two Ships Near Romania
BUCHAREST, Romania: Seven sailors were reported missing after drone strikes hit two commercial tankers near Romania’s Black Sea coast, setting the vessels on fire and raising fresh concerns about maritime security in a strategically important shipping region.
Romanian President Nicușor Dan confirmed that the two vessels had been struck by drones but stopped short of directly blaming Russia. A NATO military source told Reuters that the drones involved were of Russian origin, although the responsibility for the attacks had not been independently established in the publicly reported findings.
Seven crew members missing from Wine Trader
The missing sailors were members of the crew of the Wine Trader, a tanker sailing under the flag of San Marino. Romanian authorities said 12 sailors were aboard when the vessel was hit approximately 13 nautical miles southeast of the Sulina Canal, just outside Romania’s territorial waters.
Five crew members were rescued, while seven remained missing as rescue teams searched the surrounding waters.
The incident occurred near the entrance to the Sulina Canal, which connects the Danube River to the Black Sea and serves as an important route for Ukrainian exports.
Second tanker also catches fire
The second vessel, the Yara J, a chemical and oil tanker sailing under the Comoros flag, was struck southeast of Sulina within Romanian territorial waters late Wednesday.
The attack triggered a fire aboard the ship. However, Romanian authorities reported that all members of its crew were safe.
The two incidents have intensified concerns about the safety of civilian vessels operating near the western Black Sea coastline, where commercial shipping has faced a series of reported drone attacks in recent days.
Romania launches search-and-rescue operation
Romanian authorities deployed two Black Hawk helicopters and two vessels carrying medical personnel to support the search for the missing sailors.
However, officials warned that rough seas and high waves were making rescue operations difficult and potentially unsafe.
The search operation was continuing amid concerns that adverse weather conditions could complicate efforts to locate the missing crew members.
Growing threat to Black Sea shipping
The attacks form part of a wider series of incidents involving commercial vessels near Romania and neighbouring Bulgaria. According to Reuters, at least five other cargo ships had been hit near the two countries over the preceding 10 days, with sailors reported missing or dead in those incidents.
NATO said it was in contact with Romanian officials following the latest incidents. The alliance also reported that two additional vessels had been targeted overnight: the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Sea Destiny in Romanian waters and the Tanzanian-flagged tanker Dania J at the Ukrainian Danube port of Izmail. Casualty details for those incidents were not provided in the cited report.
Romanian President Dan described the situation as serious, warning that attacks on commercial vessels threaten seafarers, international trade and critical infrastructure.
Ukraine’s export routes face renewed concerns
The western Black Sea is a vital corridor for Ukrainian agricultural exports and other commercial shipments. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, repeated attacks on Ukrainian ports have increased the importance of alternative shipping routes along the Danube and near the Romanian and Bulgarian coastlines.
The latest strikes have renewed questions about the protection of civilian shipping and the potential consequences of escalating maritime incidents close to NATO member states.
As search-and-rescue efforts continue, the seven missing sailors remain the central concern. The reported Russian origin of the drones, cited by a NATO military source, has added to regional security concerns, while Romanian authorities have not publicly assigned definitive responsibility for the attacks.
