Eight crew missing after drone attack leaves tanker ablaze off Romania's coast

Key points

• Eight of 12 crew members are missing after a drone attack set the San Marino-flagged tanker Wine Trader ablaze off Romania's coast on Thursday morning.
• Romanian President Nicușor Dan confirmed drones struck the tanker, and Romania and Bulgaria may discuss invoking Nato's Article 4.
• The attack follows recent drone strikes on merchant ships in the Black Sea, including one off Bulgaria on Tuesday that sank a vessel and left 11 crew members missing.

Eight of 12 crew members are missing after a drone attack left a tanker ablaze off Romania's coast on Thursday morning, naval authorities said. The San Marino-flagged Wine Trader was 13 nautical miles (24km) east of the mouth of the River Danube at Sulina when it reported blasts and a fire.

Romanian President Nicușor Dan confirmed the vessel was struck by drones. A search and rescue operation for the eight missing crew members is continuing, with two Black Hawk helicopters and two rescue boats deployed.

What officials said

Romania's interior ministry released a video showing one of the helicopters hovering above the vessel. Authorities said the priority is reaching the four crew members confirmed alive while ensuring rescue teams' safety amid very high waves.

Dan said: "We want to have all the information about what happened, but there will be a response from the Romanian state." He is due to meet Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels with Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev to discuss growing security threats in the Black Sea region.

We want to have all the information about what happened, but there will be a response from the Romanian state.

— Nicușor Dan

Recent Black Sea attacks

The west coast of the Black Sea has recently seen a spate of drone attacks. A swarm of Russian drones was detected overnight not far from the scene, near Ukraine's Snake Island. Moscow said two cargo ships with military cargo heading to Ukraine's Odesa port were hit during the sea crossing, without naming the vessels.

On Tuesday, two merchant ships were struck by drones further south along Bulgaria's coast and one sank, leaving 11 crew members missing. Bulgaria said it suspected Russia was behind that attack and summoned the country's envoy. The leaders of Romania and Bulgaria are due to discuss shortly whether Nato's Article 4 should be invoked.