Tanker in flames off Romania – possible drone attack is being investigated

Romania says it is investigating a possible new drone attack on a tanker off its Black Sea coast. As Defense Minister Radu Miruta said on Digi24 television, a fire broke out on the Comoros-flagged ship “Yara J” on Wednesday evening. The crew was able to put out the fire themselves. “Whether it was hit by a drone or not is under investigation,” he added.

Miruta spoke of a serious incident that occurred in Romanian territorial waters. According to the minister, the ship - a tanker for chemicals and oil products, according to the tracking website Vesselfinder - had been anchored for several days without cargo off the Romanian city of Sulina, near the border with Ukraine.

Raise two F-18 fighter jets

The Romanian Defense Ministry previously said it had sent two F-18 fighter jets to intercept "a group of aerial targets over the Black Sea."

As a result of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the Black Sea is repeatedly the scene of drone incidents. Since last week, suspected Russian drones have hit several ships off the coast of Romania and neighboring Bulgaria.