BUCHAREST, Romania — A drone hit and sank a cargo ship off Romania’s Black Sea coast on Friday, killing one crew member and leaving three missing, according to Reuters.
The Comoros-flagged Khoryv sent a distress signal about 13 nautical miles off Constanta, just beyond Romanian territorial waters, Romania’s naval authority said. Nine of the 13 crew members were rescued from the water, and one body was recovered.
The crew was made up of 10 Ukrainians and three Azerbaijanis, according to The Associated Press. Rescue teams kept searching for the other three crew members, the naval authority said, adding that bad weather and low visibility kept a helicopter on the ground.
Romanian President Nicusor Dan blamed Russia. “It is part of Russia’s escalation process in its war in Ukraine,” Dan told reporters, according to Reuters.
“This attack is a new example of the tragic consequences of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.”
Dan made the same point in remarks reported by The Associated Press. “It is time for Russia to take peace initiatives of the United States and Europe seriously, accept the ceasefire proposals and end the war,” he said.
Video released by Romanian authorities showed only a small part of the capsized ship’s hull still above the waves as it sank. Emergency vessels searched the surrounding waters in choppy seas and high wind.
The attack was not the first on shipping in the area this month. At least seven other cargo vessels have been attacked off the Black Sea coasts of Romania and Bulgaria, NATO members, according to The Associated Press.
Reuters reported that ships hit in recent weeks were either anchored near the Sulina Canal or headed toward it. The canal links the Danube River to the Black Sea and has become Ukraine’s main export route, as Russia has attacked Ukraine’s own Black Sea ports.
NATO said on Tuesday it would send more maritime patrol aircraft, radar systems and drones to the Black Sea, Reuters reported. Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria have called on the alliance to do more to protect commercial shipping there.
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