A drone hit and sank a cargo vessel in the Black Sea on Friday, killing one crew member and leaving three missing, officials said, in the latest attack on commercial shipping in the region that has raised fears of an escalation in Russia's war against Ukraine.
Romanian naval authorities said that a search and rescue mission was underway after the ship caught fire and sank about 13 nautical miles (15 miles) east of the port city of Constanta, near Romania's territorial waters. The crew consisted of 10 Ukrainian citizens and three Azerbaijanis. Nine were rescued.
“This attack is a new example of the tragic consequences of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine,” Romanian President Nicusor Dan said. “It is time for Russia to take peace initiatives of the United States and Europe seriously, accept the ceasefire proposals and end the war.”
At least seven other cargo vessels have been attacked this month off the Black Sea coasts of NATO members Romania and Bulgaria, leaving two people dead and 25 missing.
Video released by the Interior Ministry showed only the ship's hull protruding above the surface in rough seas.
The naval authority identified the ship as the Comoros-flagged Khoryv, which the shipping data website MarineTraffic shows departed Turkey on Oct. 21 and was headed for Romania’s Sulina port.
“Rescue teams continue search operations to identify and rescue the other three crew members,” the naval authority said, adding that it wasn't possible to deploy a helicopter due to unfavorable weather conditions and low visibility.
On Saturday, Romanian pilots on air policing duties shot down two drones in Romania’s territorial waters over the Black Sea.
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