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A Turkish-owned vessel carrying corn sank in Romanian waters after a fire. Ukraine says Russian drones caused the strike, which killed two people.
A Turkish-owned commercial vessel carrying grain sank in the Black Sea after a fire broke out in Romanian waters. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the incident was caused by a Russian drone attack, while Romanian authorities confirmed two deaths and the rescue of eleven crew members.
Romania's Interior Ministry reported that the Coast Guard was alerted at around 11 a.m. local time (14:00 UTC) on Monday. The vessel, identified by Romanian authorities as the "Royad Mammadov," was located within Romania's exclusive economic zone, approximately 30 nautical miles (55 kilometers) south of Sfantul Gheorghe in Tulcea County.
The ministry stated, "Eleven crew members have been rescued. Two deceased individuals have also been located." A helicopter airlifted the injured person. While Romanian authorities did not initially specify the cause of the fire, local media reported that the ship was hit by a drone. President Zelenskyy said on social media that "Azerbaijani and Indian citizens were on board," adding that "the ship's captain was killed" and the fate of one other person was still being established.
President Zelenskyy condemned the event as a "horrific strike by two Russian drones on a civilian vessel in neutral waters carrying corn and owned by Türkiye." He asserted that Russia "consistently chooses terror and sinking civilian vessels instead of normal maritime navigation."
Zelenskyy noted that the Ukrainian government has "repeatedly proposed concrete steps to de-escalate the situation and ensure security in the Black Sea." He called for pressure to "restore global food security," stating that "everyone who is genuinely interested in this must help."
Russia has not commented on this specific incident. However, its defence ministry earlier stated it had struck two cargo vessels. According to reports, Russia has been targeting Ukrainian infrastructure in what it says is retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries. Ukraine maintains it began attacking Russian oil infrastructure because it helps the Kremlin finance the war.
The Black Sea remains a critical commercial shipping route for Ukraine's grain exports. Security concerns have heightened since Russia launched its full-scale war on Ukraine in 2022. Recent incidents include a Romanian F-16 destroying a marine drone near an offshore gas project in August, and a Ukrainian maritime drone exploding in the port of Constanta two months prior, which Ukraine said was knocked off course by Russian electronic interference.
The sinking of a civilian grain carrier in neutral waters highlights the escalating risks to maritime trade in the Black Sea. As a major route for global food exports, instability in this region threatens international food security. The incident underscores the widening scope of the conflict, with attacks now affecting vessels owned by neutral nations and occurring within the exclusive economic zones of NATO member states.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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