A search and rescue operation is continuing in rough seas off Romania’s coast after a drone attack left a chemical tanker ablaze on Thursday morning, with seven of its 12 crew members now missing, according to naval authorities.
The San Marino-flagged vessel, identified as the Wine Trader, was positioned 13 nautical miles (24km) east of the mouth of the River Danube at Sulina when it reported multiple explosions and a subsequent fire.
Romanian President Nicușor Dan confirmed that the Wine Trader was struck by drones, adding that another chemical tanker in the same area, the Comoros-flagged Yara J, had also been hit the previous day, on Wednesday. The Wine Trader was empty of cargo at the time of the attack.
The immediate priority for Romanian authorities is to reach the four crew members confirmed to be alive, while navigating very high waves reported in the area to ensure the safety of rescue teams. Two Black Hawk helicopters and two rescue boats have been deployed as part of the ongoing operation.
The Romanian interior ministry has released a video showing one of the helicopters hovering above the distressed vessel. Romanian media outlets, citing crews on nearby ships, suggested that the Wine Trader had been struck by two drones.
The incident occurred as part of a recent intensification of drone attacks across the western Black Sea. Overnight, a swarm of Russian drones was detected not far from the scene of the Wine Trader attack, near Ukraine's Snake Island.
President Dan is scheduled to meet Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels alongside Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev to discuss the escalating security threats in the Black Sea region. The discussions are expected to focus on operational requirements, including the need for additional equipment to protect shipping in the area.
The leaders of Romania and Bulgaria are also due to discuss whether Article 4 of the Nato treaty should be invoked. This article allows any member of the military alliance to request consultations with its allies if it believes its territorial integrity, political independence, or security is threatened. President Dan stated, "We want to have all the information about what happened, but there will be a response from the Romanian state."
The attack on the Wine Trader follows several other recent maritime incidents. On Tuesday, two merchant ships were struck by drones further south along the coast of Bulgaria, Romania's neighbour. One of those vessels subsequently sank, leaving 11 crew members missing. Bulgaria has publicly stated its suspicion that Russia was behind that attack, and summoned the country's envoy in response.
Last week, another two ships were struck off Bulgaria, and on the same day, Ukraine launched an attack on an oil tanker in the Russian Black Sea port of Sochi.
The Black Sea has become a critical front in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently commented on the situation, stating that the Black Sea was becoming "another front of escalation of the Russian war in Ukraine. This is unacceptable."
Moscow has claimed that it is targeting ships delivering military and dual-use cargo to Ukrainian ports. Conversely, Kyiv and its European allies assert that merchant vessels carrying grain and other civilian cargo are being attacked. Both Russia and Ukraine are major grain-exporting countries, and Turkey has repeatedly called on both nations to halt attacks in the Black Sea to ensure safe passage for commercial shipping.
Moscow has consistently rejected calls from the United States and European nations for a naval ceasefire in the Black Sea, blaming Ukraine for attacking Russian merchant vessels in the area. Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and Russian forces currently control approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory.
