NATO ambassadors will gather next week for an emergency meeting dedicated to a series of incidents involving commercial vessels in the Black Sea. According to Romanian authorities, the fires on tankers off the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria were caused by drone attacks. The most severe consequences were recorded on the vessel Wine Trader, where seven crew members are still reported missing.
Chronology of Incidents
On Thursday morning, October 15, the San Marino-flagged tanker Wine Trader, en route from Tunisia to Romania, caught fire approximately 24 kilometers southeast of the city of Sulina. The previous evening, October 14, a fire broke out on another tanker, the Comoros-flagged Yara J, which was located in Romania's territorial waters; the crew extinguished the fire on their own, and there were no casualties. Both vessels were anchored not far from the mouth of the Sulina Canal leading to the Danube. Earlier, on Tuesday, October 13, drones attacked two vessels off the coast of Bulgaria, one of which sank, placing crews in danger.
Rescue Operation
Five crew members were rescued from the Wine Trader tanker, while seven remain missing. Two Black Hawk helicopters and two vessels with medical personnel were deployed for the search and rescue operation. According to Romanian authorities, the operations were significantly complicated by strong waves in the area.
Position of Bucharest and Sofia
Romanian President Nicușor Dan stated that both vessels targeted in the recent incidents were subjected to drone attacks. At the same time, he refrained from directly blaming Russia for the incident, emphasizing that the Romanian side must establish all the circumstances of the events. Bulgarian authorities, in turn, noted that there is currently insufficient evidence to definitively establish the origin of the drones, although they did voice suspicions regarding Russian involvement.
Strategic Importance of the Route
The mouth of the Sulina Canal and adjacent sea routes are of particular importance for Ukrainian exports. Following Russian strikes on Ukraine's port infrastructure, transport via Danube ports and Black Sea routes has acquired critical weight, making the security of this corridor a sensitive issue for the entire region.
NATO Reaction
Against the backdrop of mounting tension in the Black Sea, the alliance is preparing an emergency meeting of ambassadors next week. The agenda is expected to focus on assessing threats to shipping and potential measures to protect commercial vessels in the area.
