Cargo ship Khoryv sinks off Romania in Black Sea attack

The Comoros-flagged cargo ship Khoryv went down in the Black Sea on October 23, roughly 13 nautical miles east of Constanta, Romania, after fire broke out aboard while it was en route from Eregli, Turkey to Sulina.

Romania's coast guard launched a search and rescue operation in rough seas and strong winds. A nearby cargo ship pulled nine survivors from the water and recovered one body. Three of the 13 crew members remain missing. Weather prevented rescue helicopters from flying.

The crew of 13 included 10 Ukrainians and three Azerbaijanis. Khoryv was carrying ferrous metals. Romanian President Nicusor Dan said the cargo ship had been struck by a drone. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also blamed Russia. Officials had not formally confirmed the cause as of late Thursday, but Romanian media reported a drone strike.

The Black Sea has seen a sharp rise in attacks on commercial cargo ships near NATO's eastern coast this month. The Royad Mammadov was sunk by two drones in Romania's Black Sea EEZ on October 5, killing two crew. Days later, the ABLE sank after a drone struck its stern in Bulgaria's EEZ, with 18 crew rescued by the ferry Dioscuria. On October 14, seven sailors went missing after drones struck two ships near Sulina, the same Romanian port the Khoryv had been heading for. NATO has announced additional maritime patrol aircraft and radar systems for the region.