One crew member was found dead and three were missing after the Khoryv sank near Romanian President Nicușor Dan blamed Russia for a drone attack that sank the Comoros-flagged cargo ship Khoryv in the Black Sea on Friday, Oct. 23. One crew member was killed, three were missing and nine were rescued, Romanian authorities said.
“It is part of Russia’s escalation process in its war in Ukraine,” Dan told reporters, according to Reuters. He said the ship had been hit by a drone.
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The vessel sent a distress signal about 13 nautical miles (24 kilometers) off Constanța, just beyond Romania’s territorial waters, according to Romania’s naval authority. The crew included 10 Ukrainians and three Azerbaijanis.
Rescue teams continued searching for the three missing crew members, but rough seas and poor visibility prevented the use of a helicopter, the Associated Press reported.
The ship caught fire and capsized before sinking, according to Romanian officials. It had departed Turkey on Oct. 21 and was headed for the Romanian port of Sulina.
Latest in a series of Black Sea ship attacks
The sinking comes amid a series of attacks on commercial shipping near the Black Sea coasts of Romania and Bulgaria. At least seven cargo ships have been hit in the area this month, Reuters reported, with about 30 sailors reported dead or missing.
The attacks have raised security concerns for NATO members Romania and Bulgaria, as well as for commercial vessels using routes that connect the Danube River to the Black Sea. Ukraine relies on Danube ports and nearby Romanian waters to ship grain and other goods, particularly as Russia continues to attack Ukrainian ports.
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Earlier this month, the Turkish-owned grain carrier Royad Mammadov caught fire and sank near Romania’s coast, killing two crew members. As Kyiv Post reported, Ukrainian officials blamed Russian drones, while Romanian authorities initially confirmed the fire but did not establish its cause or attribute it to Russia.
NATO to reinforce Black Sea surveillance
Dan urged Russia to accept US and European ceasefire proposals and end its war against Ukraine.
NATO said on Oct. 20 that it would send additional maritime patrol aircraft, radar systems and drones to the Black Sea. The alliance did not specify the equipment or numbers involved.
Romanian fighter jets shot down two drones over the country’s territorial waters on Oct. 17. Defense Minister Radu Miruța said the following day that they were likely Russian drones of the latest generation.
Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria have called for greater NATO support to protect commercial shipping in the Black Sea.
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