Russian drones breach Romanian airspace as two tankers ablaze in NATO waters leave eight sailors missing
Damage to the Wine Trader's upper structure, after the San Marino-flagged tanker caught fire off Romania, leaving eight of its 12 crew members missing.Romanian rescuers are searching for eight missing sailors after the San Marino-flagged chemical tanker Wine Trader caught fire in territorial waters, with a second vessel also ablaze at the same Danube canal mouth…
Eight sailors are missing and a major search-and-rescue operation is under way after the San Marino-flagged chemical tanker Wine Trader caught fire in Romanian territorial waters in the Black Sea, with unconfirmed reports from nearby vessels that it was hit by two drones. Romanian defence minister Radu Miruta called the incidents "a matter of significant gravity," adding that an investigation is under way. The fires broke out hours after Russian drones entered Romanian airspace near Ukraine's Snake Island, though Bucharest has stopped short of explicitly linking the two. Rough seas are hampering rescue efforts, with two Black Hawk helicopters and ships with medical crews deployed.
The Wine Trader had 12 crew aboard; four have been rescued, while seven or eight remain missing as search efforts continue.
A second vessel, the Comoros-flagged Yara J, also went up in flames at the same Danube canal mouth overnight — but its entire crew escaped harm after extinguishing the fire themselves.
In the ten days prior, drone strikes hit at least five other cargo ships off Romania and Bulgaria, with a toll of at least 23 sailors either dead or unaccounted for outside NATO territorial waters.
