A fire broke out on the YARA J tanker in Romanian territorial waters off Sulina, but there is currently no confirmation that the ship was hit by a drone. The Comoros-flagged vessel was anchored about 8-10 nautical miles southeast of the Sulina Channel, Reuters reported.
The crew managed to put out the fire, and there were no reports of injuries. According to Romanian Defense Minister Radu Miruca, the ship was empty and had been waiting for several days to continue sailing. “Whether it was hit by a drone or not is currently under investigation,” Miruca told Digi24. He specified that Romanian radars did not detect a drone approaching the tanker.
The rescue operation is over
The accident signal was sent at around 20:25. The Maritime Coordination Center requested assistance from the Romanian Agency for the Rescue of Human Life at Sea, which sent the SAR APOLLO rescue ship to the area. After the crew reported that the fire was under control, the rescue mission was terminated.
According to the Romanian Maritime Administration, the tanker is a vessel for the transport of chemical and petroleum products. It was not carrying cargo and was waiting for suitable conditions to pass through the Sulina Channel. The ship later weighed anchor and headed for the port of Constanta, where a technical examination is expected to be carried out.
There were air targets in the area
The incident occurred amid several reports of air targets off the Romanian coast. The Ministry of National Defense reported that radars detected an object that briefly entered Romanian airspace east of Sulina. Two Romanian F-16 fighter jets were scrambled, and later two Spanish F-18s were sent for surveillance.
The Romanian authorities have not yet established a direct link between the air targets and the fire on the YARA J. It is this link that must be clarified during the inspection of the ship in Constanta. Romania's Foreign Ministry said it would inform international partners and respond publicly once the competent authorities confirm the circumstances.
The case is being examined in the context of a series of incidents involving merchant ships in the Black Sea off the coast of Romania and Bulgaria. In the case of the YARA J, however, the confirmed fact at the moment is a fire on board, not a proven drone attack.
Sources: bta.bg, devdiscourse.com, digi24.ro