The Romanian government has initiated a search and rescue operation in the Black Sea to find seven missing crew members from a chemical tanker that caught fire last night. This incident occurs while another chemical tanker also caught fire a few hours earlier in the same area, but all its crew members have been reported safe.
Details of the Fires
The fires occurred while Russian drones had penetrated Romanian airspace, although Romanian officials have not explicitly stated whether these drones caused the fires. In the past ten days, at least five other cargo ships have also been targeted by drone attacks along the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria, both NATO member countries, resulting in the deaths of at least 23 sailors.
Reactions from Officials and Investigations
Nicusor Dan, the President of Romania, met with Mark Rutte, the NATO Secretary General, to discuss the situation. He stated, "This is unacceptable and must stop. Lives, global trade, and critical infrastructure are at risk." Rutte also announced the strengthening of NATO's position in the eastern flank, saying, "We will continue to work closely with our allies in the Black Sea and will adjust our deterrent and defensive posture according to needs."
The fire occurred on the tanker flying the flag of San Marino named "Wine Trader." Of the 12 crew members on this tanker, five are safe and seven others are missing. Romanian Defense Minister Radu Miruta stated, "Investigations are currently underway to determine whether this tanker was hit by a drone." He also emphasized the seriousness of the matter, adding, "This is particularly serious given that such incidents are occurring in Romanian territorial waters."
Another fire also occurred on the chemical and oil tanker "Yara J," which was sailing under the Comoros flag. Ships typically use this channel as a place to anchor in case of delays due to weather conditions or traffic. Reports indicate that attacks in the Black Sea have increased significantly in recent months, severely impacting grain transportation from Ukraine and Russia, both major grain exporters.
Romania, which has a 614-kilometer (381-mile) border with Ukraine, has faced multiple violations of its airspace by Russian drones over the past four years. The country is also seeking to increase the use of ports and the Danube River as alternative routes for Ukrainian ships that are at risk due to Russian attacks on Black Sea ports. Meanwhile, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev also mentioned in a meeting held in Brussels that the European Union will consider a proposed suspension of attacks on civilian ships in the Black Sea.
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