A drone struck a commercial ship off the coast of Romania, resulting in the death of at least one crew member and the disappearance of three others. Nicolae Ciucă, the President of Romania, announced on Friday that this incident occurred this morning approximately 13 nautical miles from the shores of Romania, outside the territorial waters of the country.
Incident Details
President Ciucă explained: "Unfortunately, one sailor has lost his life, and three others are still being searched for." He also announced that the Romanian Coast Guard successfully rescued nine sailors during the rescue operation. According to the Romanian Ministry of Interior, the ship has sustained significant damage and is capsizing, now at risk of sinking.
Security Implications
This incident is the latest in a series of drone attacks on commercial ships in the Black Sea. Nicolae Ciucă stated last week that Russia's aim is to undermine Romania's support for Ukraine in the war, but he emphasized that his country will not back down in any way. NATO also held a meeting on Tuesday to assess threats to maritime transport in the Black Sea, and Ciucă stated that Romania will receive "additional capabilities" to help defend the region.
The President of Romania continued: "Clearly, this is an incident within the framework of the escalation process that Russia is pursuing in its war in Ukraine." In the past month, drones have attacked several cargo ships and chemical tankers near Romania and Bulgaria, both NATO members, resulting in the deaths of over 20 people.
