A massive search and rescue operation is underway off the Romanian coast in the Black Sea following a new drone attack on a commercial ship that both the European Commission and Romania call as another Russian escalation, Euronews reports.
A commercial ship was hit by a drone off the Romanian coast on Friday morning, killing one sailor, with three others missing and nine rescued as the vessel caught fire and capsized, in an incident that Romania's President Nicușor Dan called "a new example of the tragic consequences of Russia's aggression against Ukraine."
The Romanian coast guard led a massive search and rescue operation 13 nautical miles east of Romania's largest port Constanta looking for the missing sailors, but adverse weather and reduced visibility prevented a helicopter rescue, Romanian authorities told Euronews Romania.
Romania's Naval Authority said the vessel, identified as the Comoros Islands-flagged Khoryv, sent a distress signal after the drone strike around 10 am local time (9 am CET).
It sustained "major damage and capsized, with an imminent risk of sinking," according to the Romanian Naval Authority.
The ship's crew consisted of 10 Ukrainian citizens and three Azerbaijani nationals. The Romanian Ministry of Interior said that “10 were recovered by another commercial vessel in the area, nine alive and one deceased, while three others are still missing,” according to Euronews Romania.
Dan said in a statement that "this attack is a new example of the tragic consequences of Russia's aggression against Ukraine," indicating that Romania has determined that the attack originated from Russia.
"It is time for Russia to take seriously the peace initiatives of the United States and Europe, to accept the ceasefire proposals, and to end the war," Romania's president said.
