Romanian President Says Black Sea Cargo Ship Sank After Likely Strike
A cargo ship sank in the Black Sea off Romania after a suspected strike. All 12 crew were rescued; an investigation is underway.
Romanian authorities have launched an investigation into the sinking of a merchant vessel in the Black Sea on Thursday evening, with President Nicusor Dan indicating the ship was likely hit before it caught fire and went down.
The vessel was sailing through Romania's exclusive economic zone when the incident occurred. The Romanian Border Police confirmed the fire on board but did not specify a cause. President Dan, speaking to journalists in Chisinau, Moldova, said the ship appeared to have been struck and had sunk. He noted that no information was currently available regarding who might have been responsible for a possible attack.
"There will be an investigation, it will be established, but it is not good for us to start speculating," the president said, adding that the event took place outside Romania's territorial waters.
All 12 people on board were rescued, according to the Romanian Border Police. Ten were brought to safety by border guards, one of whom was injured, while the remaining two were rescued by the crew of the merchant ship itself.
The Black Sea region has seen repeated attacks on shipping and port infrastructure since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, with the frequency of such incidents escalating in 2026.