Two chemical tankers have reportedly caught fire in Romanian territorial waters within the Black Sea following sightings of drones in the airspace of the European regime. Romanian authorities purportedly launched extensive search and rescue operations to locate seven missing crew members from a tanker that went ablaze overnight, highlighting mounting security concerns in the region.

The naval authority launched the operation after receiving an emergency alert from the San Marino-flagged tanker Wine Trader, which was anchored near the mouth of the Sulina Canal. While five of the 12 crew members were allegedly rescued safely, seven others remain unaccounted for. Hours earlier, another chemical and oil tanker, the Comoros-flagged Yara J, also caught fire in the same vicinity, though its crew was reportedly unharmed. Both vessels were anchored due to regional navigation congestion and delays.

Romanian Defense Minister Radu Miruta stated that formal investigations are underway to determine whether drones directly caused the blazes. This incident follows a disturbing pattern of reported drone strikes on at least five cargo ships off the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria over the past ten days, resulting in significant casualties. Meanwhile, regional leaders are expected to discuss a proposed moratorium on attacks targeting civilian shipping during an ongoing summit in Brussels.

Source: www.dw.com