A commercial ship sailing off the coast of the Romanian city of Constanta in the Black Sea has sunk after being hit by a drone attack. It was stated that the Comoros-flagged ship named KHORYV, which was carrying iron materials from Turkey's Ereğli Port to Romania's Sulina Port, resulted in the death of 1 sailor, while 3 crew members are reported missing.
According to information provided by Romanian authorities, the ship was targeted approximately 13 nautical miles off the coast. There were a total of 13 personnel on board the ship, which capsized following the attack. It was announced that 10 of the crew were Ukrainian citizens and 3 were Azerbaijani citizens.
The Romanian Ministry of Health reported in its official statement that 1 person lost their life, 9 personnel were injured, and 3 people are missing. It was stated that the 9 crew members who fell into the sea were rescued after being pulled from the water by another commercial ship in the area.
Following the incident, Romanian authorities launched a large-scale search and rescue operation in the region. Border Police boats and the Artemis ship, affiliated with the Romanian Agency for Saving Human Life at Sea, participated in the efforts. It was noted that a Black Hawk helicopter dispatched to the region could not reach the operation area due to heavy rain and adverse weather conditions.
The Romanian Foreign Minister described the attack as a clear violation of international law and freedom of navigation. While offering condolences to the victim's family, the Minister emphasized that the safety of commercial ships in the Black Sea has become critical for regional and global security.
The statement also noted that Romania is in close coordination with its NATO allies, including Bulgaria and Turkey, to increase surveillance capabilities in the Black Sea.
News Source: 12punto
