SULINA, Romania — Eight of 12 crew members were missing Thursday after a drone attack set the San Marino-flagged tanker Wine Trader ablaze about 13 nautical miles (24 km) east of the Danube mouth at Sulina, Romanian naval authorities and President Nicușor Dan said, according to BBC News.
The vessel reported blasts and a fire on Thursday morning. Romanian authorities launched a search with two Black Hawk helicopters and two rescue boats. A swarm of Russian drones was detected overnight near Ukraine’s Snake Island, not far from the scene, the BBC said.
Moscow said two cargo ships with military cargo bound for Ukraine’s Odesa port were hit during the crossing but did not name the vessels. On Tuesday, drones struck two merchant ships off Bulgaria; one sank and 11 sailors went missing. Sofia summoned Russia’s ambassador, saying it suspected Moscow was behind that earlier attack.
BBC News noted the Black Sea’s western coast has seen a spate of drone incidents as the Ukraine war’s maritime front widens toward NATO members Romania and Bulgaria.
Sources: BBC News
—
