Russian Drones Sink Turkish Cargo Ship in Black Sea
Two crew members died after Russian drones struck the Turkish-owned cargo ship Royad Mammadov in Romania's exclusive economic zone on October 5.
Two people died and 11 crew members were rescued after the Turkish-owned cargo ship Royad Mammadov sank in the Black Sea on October 5, 2026. The vessel, which flew the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis, was transporting corn from the Ukrainian port of Izmail to Ravenna, Italy, when it was struck in Romania's exclusive economic zone near the Pescăruș offshore platform.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, attributed the sinking to a "horrific strike" by two Russian drones on a civilian vessel in neutral waters. He stated that Russia consistently chooses "terror and sinking civilian vessels instead of normal maritime navigation." The crew included Azerbaijani and Indian nationals, and the ship's captain was among the deceased.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Romania coordinated the rescue operation, confirming that 11 crew members were saved while two individuals were located deceased. While Romanian authorities did not officially comment on the cause of the fire that led to the ship's abandonment, the Government of the Russian Federation reported in a daily bulletin that it had struck two cargo vessels. The incident occurred approximately 30 nautical miles south of Sfantul Gheorghe, near an oil platform operated by Petrom, which remained operational.
