In brief
A swarm of Russian drones struck the San Marino‑flagged chemical tanker Wine Trader, leading to a blaze and leaving seven of 12 crew members missing. Rescue teams deployed two Black Hawk helicopters and two boats amid rough seas, while the Romanian president vowed to get answers and respond. The incident follows a series of drone attacks on merchant vessels along the western Black Sea, raising concerns that NATO’s Article 4 might be invoked. Authorities are preparing to discuss new security measures with allies to protect commercial shipping in the region.
Romania’s coast is once again under siege. Early on Thursday, the chemical tanker Wine Trader ignited when a swarm of drones struck its hull about 13 nautical miles east of the mouth of the River Danube at Sulina. Out of its 12‑person crew, seven are still unaccounted for.
The vessel was sailing from Tunisia to Romania when it reported several explosions around 07:00 local time. Rescue crews deployed two Black Hawk helicopters and two search‑and‑rescue boats to the scene, and the Romanian Interior Ministry released a video of a helicopter hovering above the blazing ship.
Romanian President Nicușor Dan confirmed that the Wine Trader and a neighbouring tanker, the Yara J, had both been hit by drones, the former on Wednesday. The Yara J, carrying an empty load, was able to fend off the flames, but the crew from both ships remain safe. Moscow protested, claiming that two cargo vessels heading to Ukraine’s Odesa port were also struck, though it did not name them.
The incident echoes two weeks of escalating maritime attacks. On Tuesday, Bulgarian authorities reported that a swarm of Russian drones had struck two merchant ships, one of which sank, leaving 11 crew members missing. Bulgaria has summoned the Russian ambassador and is considering invoking NATO Article 4, which allows member states to consult allies over security threats.
“We want all information about what happened, but there will be a response from the Romanian state,” President Dan said, while he prepared to meet with NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte and Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev in Brussels to discuss heightened security measures for shipping lanes.
While Ukrainian officials accuse Russia of targeting civilian vessels, Moscow maintains that it is striking ships carrying military or dual‑use cargo to Ukrainian ports. The European Commission, led by Ursula von der Leyen, has warned that the Black Sea is becoming a new front in Russia’s war against Ukraine and called for an immediate naval ceasefire. As tensions surge, mariners and governments face growing uncertainty over the safety of commercial shipping in the region.
