EU
Drone hits the “Khoryv” off Constanța: one sailor dead, three missing; Romania blames Russia
The Comoros-flagged ship capsized in the Black Sea, 13 nautical miles from the Romanian port. Von der Leyen and Costa speak of a new Russian escalation.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
October 23, 2026, 19:15 · Updated 18:45 · 1 min read
In brief
- Of the 13 crew members, Ukrainians and Azerbaijanis, nine were rescued, one was found dead and three are missing.
- President Nicușor Dan said Romania has determined that the attack came from Russia.
- Kaja Kallas: ships in the Black Sea have been attacked six times in 10 days.
One sailor was killed and three others are missing after the merchant ship “Khoryv,” flying the flag of the Comoros, was hit by a drone on Friday morning about 13 nautical miles east of Constanța, Romania's largest port, just outside Romanian territorial waters. According to the Romanian Naval Authority, the ship caught fire, suffered “major damage and capsized, with an imminent risk of sinking.”
On board were 10 Ukrainian citizens and three Azerbaijanis. A merchant vessel in the area pulled 10 people from the sea, nine alive and one dead. Bad weather and poor visibility ruled out a helicopter rescue.
Bucharest: the attack came from Russia
President Nicușor Dan called the incident “a new example of the tragic consequences of Russia's aggression against Ukraine” and said Romania had determined that the attack originated from Russia. He urged Moscow to take U.S. and European peace initiatives seriously. Prime Minister Luca Niculescu called the attack “unacceptable and a flagrant violation of international law,” pledging to work with allies, Bulgaria and Turkey on freedom of navigation.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was “deeply alarmed by yet another Russian escalation in the Black Sea,” while European Council President António Costa expressed “full solidarity with Romania.” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told the European Parliament that ships had been attacked six times in 10 days, calling it “a dangerous and unacceptable escalation.”
Romania and Bulgaria have asked NATO for help with surveillance of and response to drones in the Black Sea. Romanian Defense Minister Ștefan Radu Oprea explained that the army can only intervene when drones enter the country's airspace.
