Romania blames Russia for drone strike sinking ship in Black Sea

Romania has attributed a drone strike to Russia that sank the Comoros-flagged cargo ship Khoryv near its Black Sea coast, resulting in one death and three sailors missing, according to Al Jazeera and DW English.

The Khoryv, carrying 13 Ukrainian and Azeri crew members, was struck roughly 13 nautical miles off Romania's port of Constanta, just outside its territorial waters, as reported by Al Jazeera. The ship had departed Turkey and was en route to Romania's Sulina port, a key route for Ukrainian exports.

Romanian authorities launched a rescue operation amid poor weather conditions, recovering nine sailors and one body, with three others still missing, Al Jazeera detailed. Video footage showed the ship largely submerged after the attack.

This incident marks the latest in a series of drone attacks targeting commercial shipping in the Black Sea, with at least seven cargo ships hit and 30 sailors reported dead or missing in recent weeks, raising concerns about escalation in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Romania, along with Ukraine and Bulgaria, has urged NATO to enhance surveillance and protection for commercial shipping in the Black Sea. NATO has responded by deploying additional maritime patrol aircraft, radar systems, and drones to the region, as noted by both sources.

Bulgaria has similarly expressed concerns over Russian provocations near its exclusive economic zone following drone attacks on merchant vessels near its coast, highlighting regional tensions among NATO members in the Black Sea area.