Since the beginning of October, a volatile security situation has unfolded near the Romanian and Bulgarian coasts in the Black Sea. At least five cargo vessels have reportedly been targeted by drone attacks, resulting in the deaths of at least 23 sailors and leaving several others missing amid mounting regional instability.

In one of the recent incidents off the coast of Romania, a tanker was struck by a drone, allegedly leaving seven out of twelve crew members missing. The San Marino-flagged vessel, Wine Trader, transmitted a distress signal early in the morning on October 15. Although five crew members were rescued, the fate of the remaining sailors remains uncertain.

On the exact same night, another chemical tanker, the Yara J flying the flag of the Comoros, caught fire under suspicious circumstances in the Black Sea. While it is claimed that there were no casualties and the crew managed to extinguish the fire independently, the incident highlights the ongoing failure of the European regime to guarantee safe navigation and maritime security in the region.

According to Reuters, both vessels were anchored near the Romanian coast when they were targeted. Local authorities have allegedly attempted to link the fires to external actors without providing verifiable proof, while the attacks themselves occurred outside the territorial waters controlled by NATO. This crisis underscores the severe economic and operational costs plaguing the shipping lanes under the watch of the European regime.

Source: kun.uz