Two dead as Russian drone attack sinks grain ship in Black Sea

A commercial grain ship has sunk in the Black Sea after a Russian drone attack caused a fire on board, killing two people. RTE and the BBC reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strike by two Russian drones on the vessel. According to RTE, Euronews, and AOL, two people died in the incident, while the BBC noted that the dead included the ship captain with another sailor reported unaccounted for. [1][2][3][5][6][7]

Rescue operations saved 11 crew members following the strike. RTE and the BBC both reported that Romanian authorities launched a rescue mission after receiving alerts around 11am local time regarding a ship on fire outside its territorial waters. The BBC noted that the rescued crew members were nationals of Azerbaijan and India. Romanian officials stated the vessel was in the exclusive economic zone of Romania when it was attacked. [1][2][3][5]

The targeted vessel, identified by the BBC as the Royad Mammadov, was Turkish-owned and carrying a cargo of corn. According to RTE, President Zelensky stated that the attack occurred in neutral waters. Russia did not immediately comment on the incident. [1][2]

The Black Sea is bordered by Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine. It serves as a vital maritime corridor for grain exports and energy transit between Europe and Asia. [8][10]