Seven missing after tanker catches fire off Romanian coast
A tanker named San Marino caught fire in the Black Sea off Romania, and seven people are missing. At least five commercial vessels have been hit by suspected drone strikes there in the past two weeks.
A tanker named San Marino has caught fire in the Black Sea off the Romanian coast, and seven people are missing. Romanian authorities have not given a cause for the fire, nor for a second fire that broke out alongside it.
The fires started a few hours after Romania's defense ministry announced an air alert around Snake Island. The island is Ukrainian territory, about 40 kilometers from the spot where the tanker sent its distress signal. A drone was also spotted near Sulina overnight. The ministry said it later disappeared from the radar.
Attacks on shipping in the Black Sea
Over the past two weeks, suspected drone strikes have hit at least five commercial vessels in the Black Sea. The attacks affect a route that carries 95% of Ukraine's grain exports.
On Oct. 6, drones struck two ships in Bulgaria's Black Sea economic zone. One of them sank, and its 10 crew members went missing. On Tuesday, two more ships were hit near Bulgaria, and 11 crew members are missing.
Diplomatic response
Romanian President Nicusor Dan will meet Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at 1:30 p.m. today. The talks will take place in Brussels on the sidelines of the European Council summit.
