Seven sailors are missing after drones struck two tankers near Romania’s Black Sea coast, igniting fires and raising security concerns on a vital shipping route used by Ukraine. A NATO military source informed Reuters that the drones responsible for the attacks on the Wine Trader and the Yara J originated from Russia.
“"The drones that caused the fires on board two tankers inside Romanian territorial waters were of Russian origin," the source stated.
Romanian Response
Romania's President, Nicușor Dan, characterized the situation in the Black Sea as serious. He expressed his concerns on X, stating:
“"Commercial ships are being attacked and sunk. Seafarers killed, injured and missing very close to the shores of Romania and Bulgaria. This is unacceptable and it has to stop."
His remarks followed a meeting with Bulgaria’s Prime Minister, Rumen Radev, and NATO’s Secretary-General, Mark Rutte, on Thursday, where they agreed to strengthen defenses in the Black Sea. Rutte emphasized that:
“"NATO will continue to work closely with our allies in the Black Sea, adjusting our deterrence and defense posture as needed."
A NATO official indicated that the issue would be addressed at a meeting of the North Atlantic Council next week.
Details of the Incident
The missing crew members were aboard the Wine Trader, a San Marino-flagged tanker traveling from Tunisia to Romania. Fortunately, all crew members on the Yara J, which was struck just inside Romanian waters late on Wednesday, were reported safe.
