Three commercial vessels struck by drones off Romania's Black Sea coast

OPA WIRE, Nov 15 (OPA) — Three commercial vessels were struck on Saturday evening by drones off Romania's Black Sea coast near the Sulina canal, a vital shipping route connecting the Danube River to the Black Sea that is heavily utilized by Ukraine for grain and goods exports.

Defense Minister Stefan Radu Oprea confirmed that no injuries were sustained during the incidents and that ship crews successfully extinguished the fires that erupted on board the targeted vessels. The impacted ships comprise the Greek-flagged chemical tanker Evia Petrol V, the Saint Kitts and Nevis-flagged bulk carrier Marsol, and the oil products tanker Ali Najafov.

Romanian Prime Minister Luca Niculescu strongly condemned the strikes as an unacceptable violation of international law. Niculescu stated that the attacks highlight the worsening regional security environment stemming from Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, while confirming that Romanian air defense radars detected unauthorized aerial targets and scrambled fighter jets twice to investigate the airspace.

Defense Minister Oprea is scheduled to travel to Brussels next week to confer with NATO counterparts regarding regional security protocols. Oprea emphasized the urgent necessity for allied solidarity, calling specifically for expanded surveillance aircraft patrols and the deployment of advanced counter-drone warfare equipment to secure the Black Sea corridor.