Romanian president says drone attacks on Black Sea vessels must stop after seven go missing

Seven crew members are missing after two drone strikes on tankers near Romania, prompting a NATO meeting and statements from Romanian and NATO leaders.

By Felo News Desk · Published Fri, 16 Oct 2026 08:30:52 GMT

Romania reported seven crew members missing after two drone attacks on tankers in the Black Sea on Thursday, according to Romanian authorities and independent reporting.

What happened

At around 04:00 GMT on Thursday, a fire broke out on the San Marino‑flagged tanker Wine Trader after a drone strike in Romanian territorial waters. Earlier, on Wednesday evening, a fire was reported on the Comoros‑flagged tanker Yara J following a similar attack. Both incidents occurred within Romania’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea.

What the reports add

France 24 noted that the attacks are part of a recent series of drone strikes off the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria, and that the Romanian president posted on X after meeting NATO chief Mark Rutte in Brussels, calling the trend "unacceptable" and saying it "has to stop". The Independent reported that the attacks have killed two people and left at least 25 missing across the region, and that President Nicușor Dan said two drones hit the vessels but did not identify the operators.

What was said

Romanian President Nicușor Dan told X, "The situation in the Black Sea is serious. Commercial ships are being attacked and sunk. Seafarers killed, injured, and missing, very close to the shores of Romania and Bulgaria. Lives, global trade, and critical infrastructure are at stake." (France 24). He added in Brussels that "there will be a reaction from the Romanian state" (The Independent). NATO chief Mark Rutte was mentioned as attending a meeting with the Bulgarian leader to discuss the incidents, though no direct quote was provided.

How it came about

These attacks follow a string of drone strikes on merchant vessels in the Black Sea since early October, including the sinking of a Togo‑flagged cargo ship off Bulgaria on 6 October and the strike on the Ukrainian‑owned Chelsea 3 on 13 October. Felo News previously covered the missing Romanian sailors after the Wine Trader and Yara J incidents (drone‑strike‑romania‑tankers) and the Bulgarian attacks earlier in the month (bulgaria‑drone‑ship‑attack).

Key facts

Seven crew members are missing after drone strikes on two tankers in Romanian waters. (france24.com)
Romanian President Nicușor Dan called the attacks unacceptable and said they must stop. (france24.com)
Two drones hit the vessels, according to President Dan, but the operators were not identified. (independent.co.uk)
NATO is set to hold a meeting to address the Black Sea drone attacks. (france24.com)