Attacks on cargo vessels near Romania and Bulgaria have increased in recent weeks, linked to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov. Recent incidents include:
On October 5, the Royad Mammadov, a general cargo ship from St. Kitts and Nevis, was hit 30 nautical miles south of Romania, resulting in the deaths of two crew members. The following day, the Togo-flagged Alfa Watan sank after a drone attack 70 nautical miles off Bulgaria, with twelve crew members missing. The same attack also injured two crew members of the Palau-flagged Able ship.
On October 13, the Maltese-flagged Chelsea 3 was damaged by three drones about 18 nautical miles off Bulgaria, but all crew members were rescued. The Guinea-Bissau-flagged HS Dignity sank near Bulgaria, with five crew rescued and eleven missing.
Subsequent attacks included the Comoros-flagged Yara J being hit by a drone on October 14 in Romanian waters, all crew being rescued. On the same day, the San Marino-flagged Wine Trader was struck near Sulina, with seven crew members reported missing. The Khoryv, a Comoros-flagged cargo carrier, sank on October 23 but all crew were rescued.
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On October 28, the Liberian-flagged Contship Jet sank after being attacked by drones while heading to Romania. Other attacks occurred on November 13 and 14 involving various cargo and oil tankers, mostly without casualties but demonstrating the ongoing threats in the area.
In terms of naval threats, a drone was spotted near Romania’s offshore gas project, Neptun Deep, in August, prompting a military response. Romanian divers also destroyed drifting drones in the Black Sea, highlighting the persistent risks in these waters.
With information from Reuters
