Romania condemns drone strikes on three commercial ships near Black Sea coast
Romanian Prime Minister Luca Niculescu condemned drone strikes on three commercial ships near Romania's Black Sea coast, calling the incidents unacceptable and a violation of international law.
"These incidents are unacceptable and constitute a violation of international law," Niculescu said in a post on X.
The ships were struck on Nov. 13 and 14 near Sulina, where the Danube River meets the Black Sea. The Palau-flagged cargo vessel Larissa 1 was hit around 9:40 p.m. local time on Nov. 13, approximately 12 kilometers from the coast near Sfântu Gheorghe. The strike damaged a cargo crane but caused no fire, and no crew members were injured.
On the evening of Nov. 14, the Greek-flagged tanker Evia Petrol V was struck just after 9 p.m. about four nautical miles east-southeast of Sulina. Roughly 35 minutes later, the bulk carrier Marsol was also struck near the Sulina Canal. Both vessels caught fire, but their crews extinguished the flames. No casualties were reported.
Romania's defense ministry said it detected aerial targets on radar and deployed F-16 fighter jets. Authorities issued warnings to residents near the coast about possible drone threats.
Romanian authorities have not identified the origin of the drones. Prime Minister Niculescu said Russia's war against Ukraine was causing the security situation in the Black Sea to deteriorate.
