Early on the morning of June 5, an event occurred in Romania that instantly mobilized all of the country's security forces. An explosive charge on board a sea drone detonated near an oil terminal in the port of Constanța. The incident took place in close proximity to berths No. 77 and No. 78, where critical infrastructure facilities are located.
Emergency Response by Authorities
The alarm signal was received around 05:00 AM. The object was spotted near the base of the Romanian Agency for Saving Human Life at Sea (ARSVOM). The reaction of the security services was lightning-fast: police, gendarmerie, and rescue units arrived at the scene immediately. The area was cordoned off, and access to the incident zone was completely blocked for outsiders.
Authorities activated the "Red Intervention Plan" — a special protocol for responding to high-risk emergencies. The Prime Minister of Romania and the country's president, Nicușor Dan, were urgently informed of the incident; at that moment, he was en route to Montenegro for the EU-Western Balkans summit.
Drone Characteristics
Preliminary data indicates that no one was injured, although the circumstances of the incident are causing serious concern. The Romanian Ministry of Defense stated that the detected drone resembles those used during the war in Ukraine. Specifically, Commander Sandu Matei identified it as a Magura V5 type drone.
Romanian media, citing sources, reported that dozens of kilograms of explosives were on board, and the explosion was uncontrolled. According to Digi24, four additional boats with explosives were also discovered in the coastal zone of Constanța port, suggesting a possible large-scale sabotage operation.
President's Reaction
Romanian President Nicușor Dan, upon learning of the explosion while on a plane, noted the operational efficiency of the law enforcement agencies, which managed to evacuate the area before the explosive device detonated. He emphasized that while there is currently no confirmed data on casualties, competent authorities continue to investigate how the drone ended up in the port.
Dan called this incident the second serious case on the Romanian coast in a week, recalling a mine found earlier between the settlements of Vama Veche and 2 Mai. According to him, such situations are a direct consequence of Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine.
Security Context
The situation in the region remains tense. Previously, on the night of May 29, a Russian "Geran-2" (Shahed) type drone struck the roof of a multi-story building in the city of Galați, causing a fire on the 10th floor. Two people were injured. The Romanian Air Force then explained that they physically did not have time to intercept the target: only four minutes passed from detection to impact.
The Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs announced a press conference to shed light on the details of what happened in Constanța. For now, the country remains on high alert, aware of the risks associated with military operations on the border.