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Drone Strike Capsizes Tanker Just Off NATO Coast—Romania Calls It Another Russian Escalation
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A civilian tanker was severely damaged and capsized in the Black Sea after being struck by drones roughly 13 nautical miles, or 24 kilometers, off the Romanian coast near Constanța, leaving one crew member dead and three others missing, according to Romanian outlet Digi24 on October 23.
The Comoros-flagged tanker KHORYV, IMO 8138712, was carrying a crew of 13—10 Ukrainian citizens and three Azerbaijani nationals—when a fire broke out aboard the vessel following the strike, according to Romanian outlet Digi24, citing the Romanian Coast Guard and maritime authorities.
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The distress call reached the Constanța Maritime Coordination Center at around 10 am, prompting an immediate search-and-rescue operation involving Romanian Coast Guard vessels and crews from the country’s maritime life-saving agency.
Another civilian ship in the area initially took 10 crew members aboard before transferring them to Romanian rescuers. Authorities later said nine sailors had been rescued alive, one had died, and three remained missing.
A search and rescue mission is underway in the Black Sea after an incident with the Comoros flagged cargo ship "Khoryv", reportedly a Russian drone attack, about 13 nautical miles east of Constanta, Romania. One person is dead and three are missing, Romanian authorities said. The… pic.twitter.com/FejUKLc6aK
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 23, 2026
The tanker suffered extensive damage and eventually overturned.
Romanian President Nicușor Dan described the incident as another escalation by Russia in the Black Sea region.
The threat to civilian shipping has recently been discussed both by Romania’s Supreme Council of National Defence and during a special NATO consultation requested by Romania and Bulgaria, Dan said.
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Romania is now seeking additional defensive capabilities as attacks and other security incidents increasingly threaten commercial shipping close to NATO territorial waters.
Previously, Romanian F-16 fighter jets shot down two Russian jet-powered attack drones over the Black Sea after the aircraft entered Romania’s airspace.
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