On 23 October, the cargo ship Khoryv sank in the Black Sea following a drone strike; there were ten Ukrainians and three Azerbaijani nationals on board. The incident occurred approximately 24 kilometres from the Romanian port of Constanța. One seafarer died, nine were rescued, and three others are still missing. The sinking of the vessel was confirmed by the President of Romania, Nicușor Dan.
- On 23 October, the vessel Khoryv sank in the Black Sea off the coast of Romania following a drone strike.
- There were ten Ukrainians and three Azerbaijani nationals on board.
- One sailor has died, nine have been rescued, and three more are still missing.
- The vessel was approximately 24 km from the Romanian port of Constanța.
- The President of Romania confirmed the attack and linked it to Russian aggression.
What is known about the attack on the Khoryv vessel
According to the Romanian Maritime Administration, a distress signal was received from the vessel on 23 October at around 10.00 local time. At that moment Khoryv was outside the country’s territorial waters, approximately 13 nautical miles from Constanța.
A vessel flying the flag of the Comoros sustained serious damage, capsized and sank. The President of Romania Nikushor Dan confirmed that the incident was caused by a drone strike.
It is known that the Khoryv left Turkey on 21 October and was heading for the Romanian port of Sulina. According to maritime tracking systems, the vessel was built in 1983. It was approximately 119 metres long.
One sailor has died; the search for three others continues
There were 13 crew members on board — ten Ukrainian nationals and three Azerbaijani nationals.
Following receipt of the distress signal, the Romanian emergency services launched a search and rescue operation. Vessels from the Maritime Rescue Service and the Romanian Ministry of the Interior were dispatched to the scene.
Nine sailors were rescued alive. The body of one of the victims was also recovered from the water. The fate of three other crew members remains unknown.
The rescue operation is being hampered by adverse weather conditions and poor visibility. As a result, it has not been possible to deploy helicopters to assist with the search.
The President of Romania has responded to the attack
The President of Romania, Nicușor Dan, confirmed that the vessel had been sunk and linked the incident to Russian aggression against Ukraine. He emphasised that the attack highlights the dangerous consequences of hostilities spilling over into civilian shipping in the Black Sea.
The Romanian president also called on Russia to take the peace initiatives put forward by the US and Europe seriously, to agree to a ceasefire and to bring the war to an end.
Attacks on civilian vessels have become more frequent in the Black Sea
During October, the following were recorded off the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria: a series of blows on merchant ships. In particular, drones previously attacked the tanker Wine Trader near the Romanian port of Sulina. Following that incident, seven seafarers went missing.
Against the backdrop of threats to civilian shipping, NATO has announced that it is stepping up surveillance of the Black Sea using patrol aircraft, radar and unmanned systems.
Romania has also decided to accelerate the development of its own countermeasures against sea mines and drones.
