Romanian authorities resumed the search on Friday for seven sailors missing from a chemical tanker struck by a drone near the country’s Black Sea coast. The incident is the latest in a series of security threats to commercial shipping along the eastern flank of the alliance.
The missing personnel were part of a 12-member crew on board the San Marino-flagged tanker Wine Trader. The vessel was hit early on Thursday about a mile outside Romanian territorial waters.
Five crew members were rescued after the strike. Rescue efforts for the remaining sailors have faced severe disruption due to strong winds and rough seas.
An interior ministry spokesperson told reporters that teams returned to search the ship and continue the mission to find the rest of the crew. Officials stated that a Black Hawk helicopter would deploy four rescuers onto the vessel while a separate ship continued searching adjacent waters.
The Wine Trader was one of two tankers struck by drones within a 12-hour window near the Romanian coast. The second vessel, the Comoros-flagged chemical and oil tanker Yara J, was hit inside Romanian waters late on Wednesday. Its entire crew escaped unharmed, and the ship was towed to the port of Constanta.
Romanian President Nicusor Dan confirmed that both vessels were struck by drones. A NATO military source stated that the drones originated from Russia.
The attacks have higher concerns about the spillover of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine into vital Black Sea shipping corridors. Both targeted vessels were anchored near the Sulina canal, a key passage connecting the Danube River to the Black Sea and serving as a primary export route for Ukraine.
At least five other cargo ships have sustained damage near the shores of Romania and neighbouring Bulgaria over the preceding ten days. These incidents have resulted in 23 sailors reported dead or missing, with the majority occurring outside territorial waters.
Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov announced on Friday that his country has asked NATO to deploy combat aircraft and anti-drone systems to reinforce maritime defense capabilities. President Dan stated that Romania has also requested additional military equipment.
