Ship catches fire in Romania’s waters amid rising attacks in the Black Sea

Key points

• A ship anchored in Romania's territorial waters caught fire and its crew was evacuated.
• Romanian Defence Minister Radu Miruta said it was unclear whether a drone hit the Comoros-flagged tanker Yara J.
• Two ships were hit in drone attacks off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast on Tuesday, one sinking.

A ship anchored in Romania's territorial waters has caught fire and its crew has been evacuated, Romanian authorities said. The incident comes amid growing concerns over hybrid attacks in the Black Sea involving Russia.

Romanian Defence Minister Radu Miruta said on Wednesday it was unclear whether a drone had hit the ship, identified as the Comoros-flagged chemical and oil tanker Yara J. He said an investigation is pending. Multiple drones breached Romanian airspace on Wednesday near its border with Ukraine.

Recent attacks in the region

On Tuesday, two ships were hit in drone attacks off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, with one of them sinking, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said. Radev said there was no clear evidence of who carried out the attack, but that "the outcome benefits" Russia, and that the Russian ambassador would be summoned over the incident.

Earlier this month, a grain ship caught fire and sank outside Romania's territorial waters. Ukraine blamed Russian drones for the incident, in which two people were killed and 11 others rescued. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on social media: "A horrific strike by two Russian drones on a civilian vessel in neutral waters carrying corn and owned by Turkiye."

the outcome benefits

— Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev

Security concerns and responses

Some see incursions by Russian drones into eastern European airspace as a test of NATO and the European Union's defences and response capabilities. Romania, a NATO member, shares a land border with Ukraine. Since the Russia-Ukraine war started, drones have breached its airspace while mines floating in the Black Sea threaten key trade and energy routes.

Last Wednesday, Bulgaria's President Iliana Iotova said she would invite Romania and Turkiye to consultations on ensuring the security of merchant ships in the Black Sea. On October 6, two ships were hit in a drone attack in Bulgaria's Black Sea exclusive economic zone. One sank and the other was damaged. The crew of the damaged ship were rescued, but the crew of the sunken one remain missing. Bulgarian authorities ended search operations after confirming no survivors were found.