A commercial ship caught fire in the Black Sea. Nicușor Dan: It was hit and seems to have sunk.

A commercial vessel, "PROGRESS IV", pavilion Dominican Republic, was engulfed in flames in the exclusive economic zone of Romania, approximately 20 nautical miles Southeast of Saint George, on Thursday evening, around 7:00 PM.

Coast Guard border police were alerted by MRCC Constanța and intervened quickly. President Nicușor Dan confirmed that all crew members were rescued, mentioning that the incident occurred in Romanian territorial waters.

"It was hit and seems to have sunk. For now, we do not know by whom, or why, an investigation will be conducted, it is not good to jump to conclusions," emphasized Nicușor Dan.

The rescue operation was coordinated by the vessel MAI 0201, and other rescue ships, such as ARSVOM, SAR ARES, and SAR ARTEMIS, were mobilized. All 12 crew members were recovered alive, but one sailor sustained injuries. The rescue conditions were difficult, with waves of approximately 2.5 meters.