The Turkish-owned dry bulk carrier ROYAD MAMMADOV sank after an incident off the coast of Romania while sailing from Ukraine’s Izmail Port to Italy’s Ravenna.
Romania’s Ministry of Internal Affairs said a fire had broken out on the ship and that the incident occurred outside Romania’s territorial waters, within the country’s exclusive economic zone. A large-scale search-and-rescue operation was launched in the area.
Romanian authorities said in their latest statement that 11 crew members had been rescued and 2 had died. Helicopters joined the vessels in the rescue operation.
Flying the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis, the ROYAD MAMMADOV had departed from Ukraine’s Izmail Port carrying grain to Italy’s Port of Ravenna. The ship was registered as Turkish-owned.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the ship had been struck by two Russian drones in neutral waters. Russia did not issue a direct statement on the incident at the initial stage, while Romanian authorities had not officially confirmed the cause of the fire.
The incident occurred near Romania’s Pescăruș offshore platform in the Black Sea. OMV Petrom said that operations at the platform had not been affected.
The sinking of the ROYAD MAMMADOV has once again raised concerns about the safety of commercial shipping in the Black Sea, where military activity has intensified because of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Zelenskyy said two Russian drones attacked the Turkish-owned civilian vessel and that the ship’s captain was killed.