Two chemical tankers catch fire in Romanian Black Sea waters

Emergency responders are searching for eight missing crew members following a fire that broke out overnight on a chemical tanker in Romanian territorial waters. The incident occurred in the Black Sea near the mouth of the canal leading from the Danube River, a critical shipping route currently utilized by Ukraine.

The San Marino-flagged tanker, identified as the Wine Trader, issued an emergency alert to the Romanian naval authority. Of its 12 crew members, four have been confirmed safe, while eight remain missing. A second vessel, the Comoros-flagged chemical and oil tanker Yara J, also caught fire in the same area. Authorities have confirmed that all crew members from the Yara J are safe.

These fires occurred during a period in which Romanian officials reported that Russian drones had strayed into the country's airspace. While officials have not explicitly linked the drone activity to the fires on the two tankers, the incidents follow a series of similar attacks. Over the past 10 days, at least five other cargo ships have been struck by drones near the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria, resulting in the loss of at least 23 sailors.

Unlike the most recent incidents, the previous strikes on cargo ships took place just outside of NATO territorial waters. The Danube River region remains a point of focus, as Romania shares a 614-kilometer border with Ukraine and has reported repeated instances of Russian drones breaching its airspace during the ongoing conflict.