Drone Strikes Hit Two Tankers in Romanian Waters
Romanian authorities are investigating drone strikes on two tankers near the Sulina Canal that left eight crew members missing and sparked regional security concerns.
Two chemical tankers caught fire in Romanian territorial waters near the mouth of the Sulina Canal on October 14 and 15, 2026. The San Marino-flagged Wine Trader reported a fire Thursday morning, leaving eight of its 12 crew members missing. The Comoros-flagged Yara J was struck Wednesday evening 8 to 10 nautical miles southeast of Sulina; its 17 crew members safely extinguished the fire and were evacuated.
Radu-Dinel Miruță, Romania's Minister of National Defense, confirmed that Romanian F-16s and Spanish F-18s were scrambled after aerial targets were detected over the Black Sea. While the Romanian Coast Guard stated the Yara J was in ballast and carrying no cargo, other reports indicated it was traveling from Türkiye to the Ukrainian port of Izmail. Romanian officials are currently investigating whether drones caused the fires, noting that multiple drones breached Romanian airspace during Russian attacks on Ukraine.
These incidents are part of a broader pattern of maritime disruptions. At least five other cargo ships near the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria were struck over the last 10 days, resulting in at least 23 missing sailors. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev stated that while evidence is not definitive, the outcomes of these attacks benefit Russia. The disruptions target critical shipping routes for Ukraine as Russia continues to bomb Ukrainian Black Sea ports.
