Zelensky Claims Russian Drone Hit Ship That Sank in Black Sea
Two people died and eleven crew members were rescued after a commercial ship caught fire and sank in the Black Sea on October 5, 2026, following what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed was a Russian drone strike. Romanian authorities confirmed the fatalities and rescue operations, while the vessel was located within Romania’s exclusive economic zone.
Two Dead and Eleven Rescued After Black Sea Sinking
The Romanian Coast Guard received an alert at approximately 11:00 am local time on Monday. The incident occurred in Romania’s exclusive economic zone, about 30 nautical miles, or 55 kilometers, south of Sfantul Gheorghe in Tulcea County. The Romanian Naval Authority identified the vessel as the Royad Mammadov, a general cargo ship flagged to Saint Kitts and Nevis, according to shipping website MarineTraffic data. The ship had departed the Ukrainian port of Izmail with a cargo of corn bound for Italy.
Volodymyr Zelensky stated on X that the vessel was Turkish-owned and carrying corn in neutral waters when it suffered a horrific strike by two Russian drones. He noted that Azerbaijani and Indian citizens were on board the ship. According to Zelensky, the ship’s captain was killed, and the fate of one other person remained undetermined. Romanian authorities confirmed that two individuals died and eleven crew members were rescued, with a helicopter airlifting injured personnel using a winch for emergency medical care.
Ukraine Blames Russian Drones for Sinking Grain Ship
While Ukrainian leadership explicitly blamed Russian drone attacks for the fire and subsequent sinking, Romania’s Interior Ministry did not immediately identify the official cause of the fire. Romanian news channels reported that the ship was a Turkish grain vessel struck by a drone southeast of a Black Sea oil platform, though authorities did not officially confirm those specific details, and Russia did not immediately comment on the incident.
The Black Sea remains a vital and volatile commercial shipping route since the launch of Moscow’s full-scale war on Ukraine in 2022. Security tensions in the region have stayed elevated. Last month, Romania deployed two F-16 fighter jets to destroy an explosive-laden naval drone spotted near the Neptun Deep gas platform. The Romanian Ministry of National Defense reports that its naval forces have destroyed nine drifting sea mines in the Black Sea since the war began.