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Romanian naval authorities received an emergency alert from the Wine Trader at about 07:00 local time on Thursday after the vessel reported multiple explosions and fire while anchored near the Sulina Canal entrance to the Black Sea. The chemical tanker which had sailed from Tunisia to Romania had 12 crew on board with four rescued so far according to a Reuters dispatch that cited officials in Bucharest. Sailors on nearby ships told authorities the tanker appeared to have been struck by two drones though Romanian officials stopped short of confirming any link to the overnight detection of Russian drones near Ukraine’s Snake Island.
A search and rescue mission involving two Black Hawk helicopters and rescue boats continued into the afternoon despite high waves and rough seas that complicated efforts to reach the missing crew. The Romanian interior ministry released video footage showing one helicopter hovering near the burning vessel as teams prioritised the safety of rescuers while trying to locate survivors. According to Bloomberg the fire marked the second such incident in Romanian waters in less than 24 hours raising fresh concerns about the safety of commercial shipping in the region.
Earlier on Wednesday evening the Comoros-flagged chemical and oil tanker Yara J also caught fire in the same area near the Danube River mouth but its entire crew managed to extinguish the blaze and remained safe. Romanian officials said it remained unclear whether the Yara J had been attacked with Defence Minister Radu Miruta telling local television that an investigation was underway into possible causes. The two vessels had been waiting to enter the Sulina Canal a key route for Ukrainian grain exports that has seen increased congestion due to weather and regional disruptions.
The latest fires follow drone strikes on at least five other cargo ships near the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria over the past 10 days that left at least 23 sailors lost according to a Reuters tally drawn from regional authorities. Data from the Turkish Shipowners’ Association places the number of commercial vessels struck in the Black Sea region at 146 between 2022 and 2026 with 82 occurring in 2026 alone as the human toll has climbed to 28 fatalities this year. Romania’s Ministry of National Defense reported that a drone briefly entered its airspace southeast of Sulina at 01:34 a.m. before disappearing from radar while swarms of Russian drones were tracked overnight not far from the scene.
Romania which shares a 614-kilometre border with Ukraine has recorded repeated airspace breaches by Russian drones over the past four years a pattern that has escalated since the start of the full-scale war in 2022. The Independent cited defence sources noting that similar incursions have occurred this month in the exclusive economic zones of both Romania and Bulgaria both NATO and European Union members. Presidents of the two countries were scheduled to discuss whether to invoke NATO Article 4 in response to the mounting threats to Black Sea navigation.
The Sulina area serves as a critical anchorage point for vessels delayed by congestion on the Danube a major shipping artery that has grown vital for Ukraine’s exports since Russian attacks disrupted its southern ports. A Euronews summary of naval authority statements identified the Wine Trader as a chemical tanker though its precise cargo remained undisclosed as the rescue operation proceeded. Officials continued to gather evidence from the scene while emphasising that the priority remained accounting for all crew members without speculating on the fire’s origin.
