In Romanian territorial waters near the Danube Delta, an unmanned aerial vehicle attacked the Palau-flagged cargo ship Larissa 1. Romanian Defense Minister Ștefan-Radu Opră confirmed the attack and the absence of casualties. According to the ship's commander, no fire broke out on board as a result of the strike, no crew members were injured, and only the vessel's cargo crane was damaged. The incident occurred on the night of Saturday, November 14, approximately 12 kilometers north of the town of Sfântu Gheorghe.
Incident Details and Vessel Route
According to Romanian and Ukrainian media reports, the attack was recorded on the evening of November 13 at around 21:40 local time, at a point approximately 6.8 nautical miles (about 12.6 km) northeast of the village of Sfântu Gheorghe — an area where the Danube flows into the Black Sea. The Larissa 1 was en route from the Tunisian port of Bizerte to Sulina in Romania, with its final destination being Ukraine. According to Starboard Maritime Intelligence, the vessel is owned by AKN Shipping Ltd, registered in Liberia but effectively linked to Turkey. The ship's captain reported that the drone hit the cargo crane; no fires or fatalities were recorded. Whether the damage will affect the vessel's continued movement and voyage schedule was not reported at the time of publication.
Bucharest's Reaction
Romanian Defense Minister Ștefan-Radu Opră confirmed that the ministry had been informed of the incident. "We are constantly being informed, I was also told last night that a drone was shot down, there are no casualties or losses there," he stated. The defense chief added that the ministry is closely monitoring the situation in the region and interacting with other structures, emphasizing the course of action: "We intervene every time, trying, if necessary, to see, prevent, and then, if necessary, strike targets."
Context: Growing Tensions in the Black Sea
The attack on the Larissa 1 comes against the backdrop of steady escalation in the Black Sea waters. Earlier, in late October 2026, the Comoros-flagged commercial vessel Khoryv was hit by a drone and sank near Romania's Constanța: one crew member died, three are missing, and nine were rescued. Romanian President Nicușor Dan called that incident part of an escalation linked to Russia's actions, while the new Romanian Foreign Minister, Dan Neculescu, described it as a blatant violation of international law and freedom of navigation.
Kyiv has also noted that a number of countries may seek a "silence regime" from Russia in the Black Sea, as they directly depend on food supplies via this route. In late October, it was reported that Russia, for the first time since summer, allowed grain vessels to leave Sea of Azov ports, temporarily opening a window for the resumption of maritime food exports through the Kerch Strait toward the Black Sea. Against this backdrop, the strike on a civilian vessel heading to Ukraine heightens concerns about the safety of navigation in the region.
