Romanian authorities reported on Monday that two people have died following a fire on a commercial vessel that subsequently sank in the Black Sea. A total of 11 crew members were successfully rescued during the emergency operation.
The Romanian Interior Ministry stated that the nation's Coast Guard was alerted to the situation at approximately 11 a.m. local time. At the time of the incident, the vessel was positioned within Romania’s exclusive economic zone, located about 30 nautical miles, or 55 kilometers, south of Sfantul Gheorghe in Tulcea County.
While the Interior Ministry has not yet identified the official cause of the fire, various Romanian news channels have reported that the ship was a Turkish vessel transporting grain. These reports further suggested that the vessel had been struck by a drone southeast of a Black Sea oil platform, though authorities have not confirmed these claims.
In response to the emergency, a helicopter was deployed to the site to assist the crew. The ministry confirmed that injured individuals were airlifted from the vessel using a winch to ensure they received urgent medical care. In addition to the 11 survivors, authorities confirmed that the bodies of two deceased individuals were located.
