Two crew members have died and 11 others have been rescued after a fire broke out aboard the cargo ship Royad Mammadov in the Black Sea off Romania on Monday, October 5.
Romanian authorities said the vessel was sinking after the incident, which occurred outside the country’s territorial waters but within its exclusive economic zone. Rescue teams, including coast guard vessels and a helicopter, were deployed to search for the crew and evacuate those injured.
The ship was reportedly carrying grain and had sailed from the Ukrainian port of Izmail towards Ravenna in Italy. It was flying the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis and was reportedly Turkish-owned.
The cause of the fire has not been officially established. Romanian media reported that the vessel may have been struck by a drone near the Pescăruș offshore platform operated by energy company OMV Petrom, but Romanian authorities had not confirmed the reported drone strike at the time of reporting.
The incident adds to security concerns around the Black Sea, where the war between Russia and Ukraine has disrupted commercial shipping and energy infrastructure. Romania, a NATO member bordering Ukraine, has previously dealt with drone incursions and other security risks linked to the conflict.
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