A serious incident involving a cargo ship has occurred in the Black Sea off the coast of Romania ROYAD MAMMADOV, which was transporting grain from Izmail in Ukraine to Ravenna in Italy. A fire broke out on board, after which the vessel began to sink. Romanian rescue services rescued 11 crew members, whilst two others died. Some local media outlets are reporting a possible drone strike, although the official cause of the incident has not yet been established.
- The vessel ROYAD MAMMADOV was transporting grain from Izmail in Ukraine to Italy.
- The incident took place in the Black Sea, outside Romania’s territorial waters.
- After the fire, the ship began to sink.
- Rescue workers managed to save 11 crew members; two people died.
What happened to ROYAD MAMMADOV?
An emergency alert was received by the Romanian maritime authorities at around 11:00 on 5 October. ROYAD MAMMADOV was in the Black Sea outside Romania’s territorial waters, near the Pescăruș offshore platform, which is operated by OMV Petrom. According to preliminary reports, the incident occurred approximately 20 nautical miles off the Romanian coast.
A fire broke out on board the vessel. Initially, the Romanian authorities reported that 13 crew members were missing and the captain had been injured. The situation subsequently became clearer: Eleven people were rescued; two crew members were found dead. By that point, the ship had already begun to sink.
Ships and a helicopter were deployed for the operation
Several rescue vessels were dispatched to the scene of the incident. The search and rescue operation involved the vessels SAR Apollo, SAR Artemis and SAR Ares, units of the Romanian Coastguard, and a helicopter from the General Aviation Inspectorate. The injured were lifted aboard the helicopter to receive medical treatment.
The ship was carrying Ukrainian grain to Italy
According to Romanian media reports, the cargo ship was flying the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis and was Turkish-owned. Prior to the incident, it had set sail from a Ukrainian port Izmail and was heading towards Ravenna in Italy carrying a load of grain.
The accident occurred on one of the routes along which Ukrainian agricultural produce continues to be shipped via the Black Sea.
Was the vessel attacked by a drone?
Romanian media outlets have reported that ROYAD MAMMADOV may have been struck by a drone near the Pescăruș platform. Meanwhile, the Romanian Maritime Administration confirmed the fire and the rescue operation in an official statement, but did not state the cause of the fire. It is therefore premature to claim that the vessel was attacked by Russia.
The incident occurred against a backdrop of tensions in the Black Sea
Since the outbreak of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, the western part of the Black Sea has repeatedly faced new threats to civil shipping.
Romania has recorded Russian drones crashing near its border, whilst maritime routes have been periodically disrupted by drifting mines and attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure.
The investigation into the incident involving ROYAD MAMMADOV is intended to establish what exactly caused the fire and the deaths of two crew members.
