A San Marino-flagged chemical tanker named Wine Trader caught fire following a drone strike in the Black Sea on Thursday morning, located approximately 13 nautical miles east of the Danube River mouth near Romania’s coast. Seven of the vessel’s 12 crew members are missing, while four have been confirmed alive. Rescue operations involving two Black Hawk helicopters and rescue boats are underway, though challenging conditions with high waves complicate the effort.
Romanian President Nicușor Dan confirmed that both the Wine Trader and another chemical tanker, the Yara J, were struck by drones during separate incidents. The Yara J was hit the previous day but its crew managed to extinguish the resulting fire without reported injuries. The Wine Trader was carrying no cargo at the time of the attack. Moscow stated that cargo ships with military supplies bound for Ukraine’s Odesa port had been targeted, though it did not identify the specific vessels.
The incident represents part of a broader pattern of drone attacks along the Black Sea’s western coast. Two merchant vessels were struck by drones further south along Bulgaria’s coast earlier in the week, with one vessel sinking and 11 crew members reported missing. Bulgarian authorities have expressed suspicion that Russia was responsible for those attacks and summoned Russia’s envoy.
Romanian and Bulgarian leaders are discussing whether to invoke Article 4 of the NATO treaty, which permits members to request consultations if they believe their security is threatened. Romanian President Dan is scheduled to meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels alongside Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev to address escalating security concerns in the region and discuss protective measures for shipping.
The attacks occur amid ongoing disagreement over maritime activities in the Black Sea. Russia claims it is targeting vessels delivering weapons to Ukraine, while Ukraine and its allies assert that civilian merchant ships carrying grain and other cargo are being attacked. Turkey has appealed to both nations to cease maritime hostilities. Moscow has rejected calls for a naval ceasefire, attributing attacks to Ukrainian actions against Russian vessels in the area.
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