Naval authorities have rescued five sailors from Wine Trader; seven other people are still missing

Five of the 12 sailors aboard the commercial vessel Wine Trader have been rescued, while seven others remain missing after a fire broke out in the Black Sea. The search and rescue operation is ongoing.

The incident was reported this morning, around 07:00, approximately 13 nautical miles southeast of Sulina. The vessel, sailing under the flag of San Marino, sent an emergency alert after a fire broke out in the ship’s superstructure.

The Maritime Coordination Center within the Romanian Naval Authority launched an emergency search and rescue operation. Specialized naval and aerial resources were mobilized for the intervention; they are checking the area and searching for the missing persons.

The vessel was not carrying any cargo at the time of the incident. The authorities will provide further information as the operation continues and the circumstances of the fire are clarified.