Fire breaks out on two chemical tankers near Romania, seven sailors missing

Fires at anchorage sites near the Danube

A threat has emerged for two chemical tankers in the Black Sea, off the Romanian coast. The vessels Wine Trader and Yara J, which were anchored near the mouth of the Sulina Channel — a vital route connecting the Danube with the Black Sea — caught fire. This area is frequently used for waiting to pass through the channel due to weather conditions or high route congestion.

Storm complicates rescue operation

The first distress signal was received by the Romanian maritime administration on the morning of 15 October from the tanker Wine Trader, which was sailing under the flag of San Marino. There were 12 people on board. According to preliminary data, five crew members were rescued, while seven remain missing. Search and rescue operations are ongoing.

As reported by Reuters, two Black Hawk helicopters and specialised vessels with medical personnel were involved in the evacuation. However, high waves are creating serious obstacles to the safe evacuation of people from the water.

Second incident: fire contained

The fire on the second vessel — the tanker Yara J under the flag of the Comoros Islands — started on the evening of 14 October. Unlike the first case, the crew of this vessel managed to extinguish the fire on their own. According to Romanian services, all sailors on the Yara J are safe.

Link to Russian drones in question

The tanker fire incidents occurred against the backdrop of reports of Russian unmanned aerial vehicles being detected in Romanian airspace. However, official government representatives have not yet confirmed a direct link between the drones and the fires.

Romanian Defence Minister Radu Miruță noted that it is the investigation that must establish whether a drone strike occurred. He emphasised the seriousness of the events that took place in the country's territorial waters.

Context: pressure on logistics corridors

In the context of the war with Russia, Danube ports and maritime routes near Romania and Bulgaria are of great importance for the export of Ukrainian products. Due to Russian strikes on Ukraine's Black Sea ports, carriers are increasingly orienting towards alternative directions via the Danube.

This is not the first similar case recently. On 6 October, a Russian unmanned aerial vehicle attacked a civilian vessel under the flag of the Marshall Islands, which was transporting rapeseed oil. As a result of the strike, one crew member was killed and seven others were injured.

Earlier, a fire was also recorded on the LPG Gas Lisbon gas carrier, which was heading to the Ukrainian port of Reni. The incident occurred off the Romanian coast: all 17 crew members were evacuated, and three were injured. At the time of publication of that information, the origin of the drone that may have caused the fire had not been officially established.