Two dead, 11 rescued after ship catches fire and sinks in Black Sea, Romania says

On Monday, a fire broke out on a ship in the Black Sea, resulting in the deaths of two crew members and leaving 11 others rescued, according to Romanian authorities. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and it is unclear if a drone played a role in the incident. The Black Sea has been witnessing a surge in drone attacks amid the Russia-Ukraine war.

The ship involved was identified as the Royad Mammadov, a 139-meter-long vessel, and sank approximately 30 nautical miles south of the fishing port of Sfantu Gheorghe. Coast Guard border police were alerted to the fire around 11:00, and 11 crew members were eventually rescued. No official response was given by the Romanian defense ministry regarding the involvement of a drone.

Drone activity has been on the rise across Eastern European countries, as Ukraine engages in drone warfare against Russia's invasion, which began in 2022. The incident has raised concerns among neighboring nations, including Turkey, which has protested the attacks on Black Sea shipping and voiced regrets over casualties suffered by Turkish seafarers.

Of the rescued crew, three members sustained injuries, while eight are reported to be in good health. The Romanian Naval Authority spokesperson, Irina Puscasu, confirmed these details. War-related objects found in the Black Sea have more than doubled within the last six months due to the ongoing conflict, according to maritime risk expert Ambrey.

A significant portion of these items, estimated at one-third, carry live payloads and include unexploded ordnance, drones, and other unmanned vehicles that have been discovered either washed ashore or floating in the sea. This trend is expected to persist, particularly in Romanian, Bulgarian, and Turkish waters. In August, a Romanian F-16 fighter jet reportedly destroyed a marine drone near an offshore gas project in the Black Sea, with Romanian President Nicusor Dan attributing the incident to Russia.

In June, a Ukrainian maritime drone exploded in Romania's Black Sea port of Constanta, causing no casualties, as Kyiv claimed the drone had been misdirected by Russian electronic interference.