Commercial ship Photo: Shutterstock A maritime disaster occurred today (Monday, October 5) in the Black Sea, after a commercial ship caught fire and sank in Romania's exclusive economic zone. Two crew members were killed, and 11 others were rescued from the sea.
According to a statement from the Romanian Border Police, at around 11:00 AM, the MRCC Constanța Maritime Rescue Center received a report of a fire on a commercial ship about 30 nautical miles south of Sfântu Gheorghe.
Following the report, a search and rescue operation was launched to locate and rescue the crew members on the ship.
According to the official update, 11 crew members were rescued, while two people were found dead. A Romanian Air Force helicopter participated in the operation and evacuated the wounded via air rescue for medical treatment.
At the same time, Romanian Coast Guard vessels arrived in the area. One of the Coast Guard vessels was designated to coordinate search and rescue activities at the scene.
Romanian authorities said that the operation is still ongoing and that coast guard forces and helicopters continue to operate in the area.
So far, authorities have not officially announced what caused the fire that led to the ship's sinking. Authorities have not determined whether it was a malfunction, an accident, or an external factor.
Despite various reports published in unofficial sources, there is currently no official confirmation that the ship was hit by a drone or as a result of another attack. The investigation and operations at the scene are ongoing.