The Romanian president confirmed that two air drones struck the vessels in national waters, including the Comoros-flagged Yara J. These incidents are the first times merchant ships have been targeted within the territorial sea of a NATO member, marking a shift from previous attacks in the exclusive economic zone. A total of seven vessels have been hit in the Black Sea over the past two weeks in suspected Russian UAV strikes aimed at disrupting Ukrainian grain exports.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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Romania Airlifts Tanker Survivors After First Drone Hits in NATO Waters
War6 days ago
Three of the four surviving crew members on the fire-damaged Wine Trader have been evacuated to the city of Constanța for medical evaluation. Eight of the 12 crew members on the San Marino-flagged vessel remain missing after its bridge caught fire during a drone attack approximately 13 nautical miles southeast of Sulina. Romanian authorities initially struggled to reach those on board due to rough seas, though recently released imagery shows significant damage to the upper structure of the tanker, which can carry 6.32 million liters of wine.
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