The ROYAD MAMMADOV, a cargo vessel owned by a Turkish owner, sank in the Black Sea off the coast of Romania while sailing from the Ukrainian port of Izmail to the Italian port of Ravenna.
Romania’s Ministry of Internal Affairs said a fire broke out aboard the vessel. The incident occurred outside the country’s territorial waters, in Romania’s exclusive economic zone, after which a large-scale search-and-rescue operation was launched.

Romanian authorities said 11 crew members were rescued and two people died. Marine vessels and helicopters took part in the rescue operation.
The ROYAD MAMMADOV was sailing under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The vessel departed from the Ukrainian port of Izmail for the Italian port of Ravenna carrying grain.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the civilian vessel had been attacked by two Russian drones in international waters. Romanian authorities have not yet officially confirmed the cause of the fire.
The incident occurred near the Pescăruș offshore platform in the Black Sea. OMV Petrom said the incident did not disrupt the platform’s operations.
The deaths and sinking of the ROYAD MAMMADOV have once again drawn attention to the risks facing civilian shipping in the Black Sea amid the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
Zelenskyy said two Russian drones attacked the Turkish-owned civilian vessel and that the ship’s captain was killed.