Seven sailors missing after drones strike tankers near Romania’s Black Sea coast

What Happened

Seven sailors are missing after drones struck two tankers near Romania’s Black Sea coast, setting them ablaze. The missing crew were aboard the Wine Trader, a San Marino-flagged tanker travelling from Tunisia to Romania; all crew on the Yara J, which was struck just inside Romanian territorial waters late on Wednesday, were safe. A NATO military source told Reuters the drones that caused the fires on board the two tankers were of Russian origin. Romanian President Nicușor Dan said the two ships had been struck by drones, but declined to say whether Russia was responsible. The attack follows Tuesday drone strikes on two ships off the coast of Bulgaria: 11 crew members from the HS Dignity, a cargo ship flying a Guinea-Bissau flag, remain missing, while all 15 crew members from the Ukrainian-operated Chelsea 3, sailing under a Maltese flag, were evacuated and five received treatment for minor injuries. The crew reported the ship’s deck and hull were hit by three aerial drones. At least 23 sailors have been reported missing or killed after attacks on commercial shipping near the coasts of Bulgaria and Romania in the past 10 days, according to Reuters.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The strikes extend the threat to civilian shipping into NATO members’ territorial waters and exclusive economic zones, along a route Ukraine relies on for exporting grain, sunflower oil and other products via the Danube and Black Sea. Romania shares a 614 km border with Ukraine, much of it along the Danube, and has experienced frequent drone incursions since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. EU leaders are preparing a summit declaration that attacks against civilian shipping, including member-state-flagged vessels, in Bulgaria’s and Romania’s exclusive economic zones are unacceptable and a serious violation of international and maritime law.

Watch For

The North Atlantic Council is expected to discuss the Black Sea drone attacks at a meeting next week, according to a NATO official. Watch for adoption of the EU summit declaration condemning attacks on civilian shipping, further search-and-rescue outcomes for the missing crews, and any announcements from NATO on adjusted deterrence or defence posture in the Black Sea.