Coincidence? Russian drone violated NATO airspace again. Two ships caught fire in Romanian port and 7 people were missing.

Russia and Ukraine have intensified their attacks on shipping targets in the Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Azov, and the security risks of the Black Sea, as a global food export hub, have increased sharply. (AFP)

In the Romanian territorial waters of the Black Sea, two ships carrying chemicals caught fire today (15th). When the report was made, seven people were reported missing. Search and rescue operations are currently ongoing. Some officials said that a Russian drone broke into the airspace before the incident, but officials have not yet confirmed that the ship fire was related to Russia.

According to Reuters, the two oil tankers that caught fire were anchored in the Black Sea near the Danube outlet. Among them, the "Wine Trader" flying the San Marino flag sent a distress signal, and 7 of the 12 crew members on board were missing. Another fire broke out on the "Yara J" flying the Comoros flag. Fortunately, all the crew members evacuated safely. The authorities initially stated that they could not determine whether the ship was attacked.

The Romanian Maritime Safety Authority pointed out that the incident took place near the outlet of the Danube River’s Sulina Canal. In the past 10 days, at least five cargo ships have been attacked by drones in the Black Sea near Romania and neighboring Bulgaria, killing at least 23 people. However, the previous attack locations were outside NATO territorial waters.

Russia and Ukraine are both major global food exporters. In recent months, the frequency of attacks on shipping in the Black Sea has increased, raising concerns about a global food crisis. As the Russian military continues to bomb Ukraine's Black Sea ports, Ukrainian ships are forced to increasingly rely on ports and waterways on the coasts of neighboring Romania and Bulgaria.