In brief
The San Marino‑flagged tanker Wine Trader caught fire after drone strikes near the Danube Delta, killing 12 crew members and leaving 8 missing. Romanian authorities deployed helicopters and boats to search for survivors amid heavy seas. The incident follows a pattern of maritime attacks linked to the Russia‑Ukraine conflict and has prompted Romanian and Bulgarian leaders to consider invoking NATO Article 4.
Eight of the 12 crew aboard the San Marino‑flagged offshore tanker Wine Trader have gone missing after a blaze erupted on Thursday morning, while the vessel was drifting 13 nautical miles east of Romania’s Danube delta.
The fire followed a series of explosions and the detonation of two drone strikes, authorities say. Drone activity has increased along the western Black Sea coast, a seaway that has seen a string of maritime attacks linked to the Russia‑Ukraine conflict.
Romanian naval forces and rescue teams – two Black‑Hawk helicopters and two recovery boats – are combing the rough seas for survivors. The interior ministry has released a video of a helicopter hovering above the wreckage.
Three crew members are confirmed alive, but the remaining five members have not been located. Search crews are prioritising reaching the ship’s living crew while ensuring crew safety against high waves.
Romanian and Bulgarian leaders are set to discuss invoking NATO Article 4 – the right of allies to consult on security threats – amid rising attacks on merchant vessels, including the recent drone‑strikes on ships en route to Odesa and other ports.
Russia has denied retaliation, claiming its strikes target arms and dual‑use cargo to Ukrainian ports, while Ukraine insists civilian vessels carrying grain are being assaulted. Turkey has called for an immediate halt to all Black Sea attacks.
The incident highlights the growing danger to commercial shipping in a zone contested by great‑powers and underscores the need for enhanced maritime security enforcement.
