Trending 
Two crew members have died and 11 others have been rescued after a commercial vessel caught fire and later sank in the Black Sea, Romanian authorities said on Monday.
Romania’s Interior Ministry said the fire broke out on board the vessel while it was within the country’s exclusive economic zone, about 30 nautical miles south of Sfantu Gheorghe, a fishing village on Romania’s Black Sea coast.
“Eleven crew members have been rescued. Two deceased persons have also been identified,” the ministry said in a statement.
Read More : Drone Attack Hits Major Russian Oil Port
The authorities did not immediately disclose what caused the fire.
Credit: Reurers
Injured crew rescued by helicopter
Romanian authorities said the injured crew members were rescued from the vessel by helicopter.
The ship later sank, according to the Interior Ministry.
The incident occurred amid heightened security concerns in the Black Sea region, where drone activity has increased since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Read More : Trinidad Court Overturns Homosexuality Ban
Romania shares a border with Ukraine and has reported growing concerns over the spillover effects of the conflict, including drone-related incidents.
AFP asked Romania’s Defence Ministry whether the vessel could have been hit by a drone, but the ministry did not immediately respond.
Authorities have not established a link between the fire and any drone activity.
