Russian Drones Sink Turkish Ship in Black Sea Killing Two

A Turkish-owned commercial vessel carrying corn sank in the Black Sea after a fire triggered by two Russian drone strikes killed two people and injured another on Monday. The incident occurred in Romanian waters about 30 nautical miles south of Sfantul Gheorghe, within Romania's exclusive economic zone. Romania's Interior Ministry confirmed that eleven crew members were rescued, while two deceased individuals were also located.

The Coast Guard responded around 11 a.m. local time after the vessel caught fire. Emergency crews deployed a helicopter to airlift the surviving injured individual. Azerbaijani and Indian citizens were among those on board the grain-carrying ship.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack on social media, calling it a "horrific strike by two Russian drones on a civilian vessel in neutral waters." He confirmed the death of the ship's captain and noted that the fate of one other person was still being established.

Ukrainian officials emphasized that they have repeatedly proposed safety protocols to de-escalate maritime hazards that threaten vital grain exports across the region. Zelenskyy accused Russia of choosing "terror and sinking civilian vessels instead of normal maritime navigation." The incident highlights the growing hazards in the Black Sea shipping corridor, where war-related debris and drone incidents have increased since 2022.