Black sea cargo ship fire leaves two dead and eleven rescued near Romania

Two crew members died and eleven others were rescued on Monday after a fire broke out on a commercial vessel in the Black Sea before the ship sank. Romanian authorities stated the incident occurred about 30 nautical miles south of the fishing port of Sfantu Gheorghe, inside the country's exclusive economic zone.

Rescue And Casualties

The 139-metre-long ship was identified as the Royad Mammadov, which local media reported was a Turkish cargo vessel. Coast guard border police officers received word of the fire at around 11:00. A helicopter airlifted the injured crew members to safety. Irina Puscasu, a spokesperson for the Romanian Naval Authority, confirmed that three crew members suffered injuries while eight others remained in good condition.

Unanswered Questions

Authorities did not state what caused the fire and did not answer questions regarding whether a drone was involved. The Black Sea has seen heavy drone activity and maritime risks during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. A recent report by maritime risk expert Ambrey noted that war-related objects in the sea have more than doubled over a six-month period, with many carrying live payloads.

Context

Commercial shipping in the Black Sea faces heightened danger due to ongoing naval and aerial combat linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Neighbouring NATO countries like Romania frequently deal with drifting military hardware, unexploded ordnance, and stray drones near their territorial waters.