A vessel was allegedly hit by a drone in the Black Sea, near the Romanian coast / Three intervention vessels were sent to the area

A cargo ship loaded with grain is sinking in the Black Sea, approximately 40 nautical miles abeam of Constanța, after reportedly being struck, most likely, by a drone. An explosion followed by a powerful fire occurred aboard the Royad Mammadov, sailing under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

The Romanian Naval Authority launched the response through the Maritime Coordination Centre after receiving the alert regarding the incident. Vessels of the Romanian Agency for Saving Lives at Sea were urgently dispatched to the scene to rescue the crew. The Coast Guard is also taking part in the operation.

The ship is in danger of sinking, and the authorities' priority is to save the crew members. The dense black smoke produced by the fire is visible from a distance offshore.

The exact cause of the incident has not been officially established. The initial hypothesis is that the ship was struck by a drone, but checks and rescue operations are ongoing.