A barge carrying 1133 tons of nitrogen fertilizer sank in the Danube, near the town of Zimnicea, Teleorman County.

The incident, which took place on January 10, was not officially announced for three days until the press requested information from the authorities. The City Hall stated that the area is not in danger and there is no risk to the population or the environment, and the competent institutions are constantly monitoring the situation and have not discovered any pollution in the waters of the Danube. Additionally, navigation on the river is not affected. The barge "Phoenix Jupiter," belonging to a Romanian shipowner and loaded with over 1,100 tons of chemical fertilizers, initially ran aground at the end of December and subsequently took on water until it completely sank.