The Comoros oil tanker named 'Khorui' sank following a drone attack in the Black Sea. This incident occurred on October 23, 2026, near the shores of Romania, after which Romanian President Nicu Sor Dan accused Russia of escalating its attacks on NATO's eastern flank.
Details of the Incident and Rescue Search
The Khorui tanker, which had 13 Ukrainian and Azerbaijani sailors on board, sent an emergency signal 13 nautical miles from the port of Constanta in Romania. Released videos show that only a small part of the sinking tanker’s hull was visible above the waves. Immediately after the incident, rescue ships began searching for the sailors and, in adverse weather conditions and rough waves, managed to rescue 9 sailors. Unfortunately, three people are missing and one body was found.
Consequences and Implications of Recent Attacks
In the past two weeks, deadly attacks on commercial vessels off the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria have sharply increased. At least seven commercial ships have been targeted, and around 30 sailors have lost their lives or gone missing. President Dan stated, "This is part of Russia's escalation in the war in Ukraine, and this oil tanker was attacked by a drone." In this context, NATO also announced that it would soon send more equipment, including maritime patrol aircraft and radar systems, to the Black Sea.
Recent attacks have primarily targeted ships that were anchored near the Sulina Canal, which connects the Danube River to the Black Sea, or were moving toward it. This canal is now recognized as the main export route for Ukraine, one of the world's largest exporters of grains and edible oils, and is heavily affected by Russia's attacks on Ukrainian Black Sea ports.
Ukraine, Romania, and Bulgaria have called for further NATO action to protect commercial shipping in the Black Sea.
Read more: The security sector of Bulgaria requested the European Union and NATO to support the security of the Black Sea · Iranian oil tanker cargo on a sanctioned route to an unknown destination
