Romanian President Nicuşor Dan has accused Russia of escalating its war against Ukraine towards NATO’s eastern flank after a drone strike sank a cargo ship off Romania’s Black Sea coast, killing at least one sailor and leaving three others missing. The sinking of the Comoros-flagged Khoryv is the latest in a wave of attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea, raising fresh concerns over the safety of vital trade routes and the risk of the conflict spilling further into NATO territory.
Romanian authorities released footage showing only a small section of the stricken vessel’s hull above the waves as it sank, while emergency crews searched rough seas amid strong winds for missing sailors. The Romanian naval authority said the ship, carrying 13 Ukrainian and Azerbaijani crew members, issued a distress call about 13 nautical miles off the port of Constanţa, just beyond Romania’s territorial waters.
Nine crew members were rescued, one body was recovered and three sailors remained missing. Dan said the incident was part of a broader escalation by Moscow. “It is part of Russia’s escalation process in its war in Ukraine,” he told reporters, later confirming that the vessel had been hit by a drone.
The attack comes amid a sharp increase in strikes against commercial vessels off the coasts of NATO members Romania and Bulgaria. Over the past two weeks, at least seven cargo ships have reportedly been hit, with around 30 sailors feared dead or missing. The mounting threat has intensified calls for NATO to strengthen its presence in the Black Sea.
The alliance said last Tuesday it would deploy additional maritime patrol aircraft, radar systems and drones to the region, although it has yet to specify which capabilities would be sent.