Romania Blames Russia for Ship Sinking in Black Sea
Source reports published 23 Oct 2026, 10:00 am – 24 Oct 2026, 12:25 am AEST
A Russian drone attack sank the Comoros-flagged cargo ship Khoryv off the Romanian coast, resulting in one crew member death and three missing. NATO is increasing surveillance capabilities in the Black Sea following a surge in attacks targeting commercial shipping.
What happened
- Romania’s President Nicusor Dan blamed Russia for the drone strike that sank the Khoryv, a cargo ship carrying Ukrainian and Azeri sailors, approximately 24 kilometers off the Romanian port of Constanta.
- The attack, which occurred on Friday, resulted in at least one crew member death and left three others missing.
- Nine crew members were rescued following a distress signal.
- MarineTraffic data indicated the Khoryv departed Turkey and was en route to Romania’s Sulina port, a key route for Ukrainian exports via the Danube River.
- Romania launched a rescue operation hampered by poor weather conditions.
- Following the incident, Romania shot down three Russian drones over its territorial waters.
- NATO announced it would deploy additional maritime patrol aircraft, radar systems, and drones to the Black Sea.
- Bulgaria, also a NATO member, has expressed similar concerns regarding Russian activity near its exclusive economic zone.
- The European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, condemned the attacks as "reckless" and a violation of international law.
Original reporting
- Al Jazeera: Romania blames Russia after drone sinks ship in the Black Sea
2026-10-23T00:00:00+00:00 - Deutsche Welle: Romania blames Russia for ship attack in the Black Sea
2026-10-23T14:25:10.878000+00:00