The tanker YARA J, flying the Comoros flag, reported a fire on board while anchored in Romanian waters near Sulina. Preliminary investigations suggest the vessel may have been hit by a drone, although this is still under review. The tanker was situated around 8–10 nautical miles southeast of the Sulina breakwater, awaiting to proceed to the Ukrainian port of Izmail to load petroleum products.
The captain communicated via radio that the fire erupted following a suspected impact in the vessel’s upper section. Fortunately, the crew managed to control the blaze and later notified maritime authorities that no further assistance was needed. At 20:25 local time, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre requested help from the Romanian Agency for Saving Lives at Sea, prompting the SAR APOLLO rescue vessel to head to the scene shortly after.
All crew members were confirmed safe, although initial reports indicated a diverse nationality among the 17 crew members, including individuals from Syria, India, and Iran. Romanian authorities, including Defence Minister Radu Miruță, are investigating the incident, focusing on whether a drone struck the tanker, as military radars had not detected any incoming drones. A technical inspection is planned at the port of Constanța to ascertain the cause of the fire. The Romanian Foreign Ministry is in constant communication with relevant institutions and will update international partners once investigations progress.
