Two tankers caught fire near Romania's Sulina Canal; seven crew members missing from WINE TRADER as rescue operations continue.
A fire broke out on two chemical and petroleum product tankers in less than 24 hours near the Sulina Canal, where the Danube River flows into the Black Sea, off the coast of Romania. The fire on the Comoros-flagged tanker YARA J was extinguished by the crew, while seven sailors went missing following the fire on the San Marino-flagged tanker WINE TRADER.
Romanian authorities announced that five of the twelve crew members of WINE TRADER were rescued, and search and rescue operations have been initiated for the seven missing sailors. The high waves affecting the region are complicating the rescue operation.
Investigations are underway into the causes of both incidents, as they occurred in Romanian territorial waters and drone activity was detected in the area at the same times. However, it has not yet been officially confirmed that the fires on the tankers were caused by a drone attack.
Fire on WINE TRADER: 7 of 12 sailors missing
The chemical tanker WINE TRADER, flying the San Marino flag, made an emergency distress call around 07:00 on Thursday, October 15, approximately 13 nautical miles southeast of Sulina.
It was reported that a fire broke out in the superstructure of the tanker, which was carrying twelve crew members at the time of the incident.
Initial reports indicated that four sailors had been rescued, with eight missing; later, the number of rescued sailors increased to five, updating the number of missing crew to seven.
It was announced that the vessel was empty at the time of the incident.
Two Black Hawk helicopters were dispatched for rescue.
Romanian authorities launched a comprehensive search and rescue operation to locate the missing sailors from WINE TRADER.
The operation involved teams from the Romanian Border Police, the General Inspectorate of Civil Aviation, and the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations.
Two Black Hawk helicopters equipped with medical intervention teams were directed to the area, while a firefighting vessel carrying medical personnel was dispatched from Mangalia, and a multipurpose rescue boat was sent from Tulcea.
The SAR APOLLO rescue vessel was also dispatched to the incident area under the instructions of the Romanian Maritime Rescue Coordination Center.
However, it was reported that the rescue teams were having difficulty safely reaching the sailors due to the high waves in the Black Sea.
Fire on YARA J extinguished by the crew
The first incident occurred on the evening of October 14, Wednesday, on the Comoros-flagged tanker YARA J, which is used for chemical and petroleum products.
The vessel, which departed empty from Turkey and was reportedly heading to Ukraine to load petroleum products, issued a fire alert while anchored near Sulina.
The tanker, approximately 25 years old, had a total of 17 crew members from Syria, India, and Iran on board.
Following a distress call made around 20:25, the SAR APOLLO rescue vessel was directed to the area. However, after the crew extinguished the fire using their own means, they were instructed to return to the rescue vessel.
It was confirmed that all 17 sailors on YARA J were safe, and there were no injuries reported in the incident.
The tanker was later reported to be heading towards Constanța, and the cause of the incident will be investigated.
Drone activity detected in Romanian airspace
At the times when the fires broke out on the tankers, there was drone activity near the Black Sea coast of Romania.
The Romanian Ministry of Defense announced that a group of aerial targets was tracked by radar near Snake Island, Ukraine, on the night of October 15.
It was reported that a drone briefly entered Romanian airspace from the southeast of Sulina around 01:34 and then radar contact was lost.
Due to the air activity, fighter jets were dispatched.
It was noted that the crew of YARA J reported that the vessel was targeted by a drone, while the Romanian Ministry of Defense stated that a drone approaching the ship was not detected by military radars.
The cause of the fire on WINE TRADER has also not yet been confirmed.
Attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea continue
Recently, a series of attacks and maritime accidents affecting commercial vessels have occurred in the western part of the Black Sea.
Following incidents targeting commercial vessels HS DIGNITY and CHELSEA 3 off the coast of Bulgaria, new fires in Romanian territorial waters have brought maritime security in the region back to the forefront.
In previous attacks off the coast of Bulgaria, some vessels were severely damaged, part of the crew was evacuated, and search and rescue operations were conducted for missing sailors.
Stopping attacks on civilian vessels is on the agenda.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced that he would discuss a moratorium proposal aimed at stopping attacks on civilian vessels in the Black Sea with European Union leaders on October 15.
Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu also emphasized the need for increased deterrence and defense investments to protect maritime activities in the region, highlighting the importance of maritime transportation security in the Black Sea.
Due to attacks on Ukraine's Black Sea ports, the significance of commercial transportation via the Danube River has increased, making maritime traffic around Sulina important for regional trade.
While efforts continue to locate the seven missing sailors from WINE TRADER, investigations into the causes of the fires on the two tankers are ongoing.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
