Serious incident in the Black Sea
A commercial vessel carrying liquefied gas was struck off the Romanian coast in the Black Sea
Roxana Vasile, 22.07.2026, 14:00
A new and extremely serious incident took place on the morning of 21 July, off the Romanian Black Sea coast, against the backdrop of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and amid reciprocal naval attacks by Russia and Ukraine. An oil tanker had set sail from Egypt and was heading for the Ukrainian port of Reni, carrying a cargo of nearly 3,800 tonnes of propane and a crew of 17 sailors from the Philippines, Georgia, Turkey and India. While transiting Romania’s exclusive economic zone, approximately 14 nautical miles from the coast, the vessel sustained major damage following an explosion on board, and the crew requested assistance.
Irina Puşcaşu, spokesperson for the Romanian Naval Authority – the body that coordinated the search and rescue operations – gave details about the incident:
“The Gas Lisbon, flying the Liberian flag, reported an explosion on board. The Romanian Naval Authority, through the Maritime Coordination Centre, immediately launched a rescue operation for the 17-member crew. The SAR Artemis and SAR Apollo vessels were mobilised, along with other available rescue resources. A notice was issued instructing all vessels in the area to maintain a minimum distance of three nautical miles from the scene of the fire.”
The 17 sailors were safely rescued, but three of them – two with burns covering more than 15 per cent of their bodies and one with multiple wounds and bleeding – were taken away to receive medical treatment.
Daniel Năstase, spokesperson for the Tulcea County Emergency Services has more:
“Following an incident on board the vessel, which caused major damage and a fire to break out in the superstructure, the crew took refuge in the bow area without being able to use the vessel’s own evacuation equipment. Upon arrival at the scene, the crew of the SAR Apollo launched two liferafts, successfully evacuating all 17 crew members to safety. Three of those rescued required emergency medical care. The “Delta” Emergency Situations Inspectorate of Tulcea County mobilised a multi-purpose vessel and a medical team to take charge of the victims and transport them to the A&E Department in Tulcea.”
According to the crew, the ship was reportedly struck by three aerial drones. However, Adrian Mihălcioiu, president of the Free Seafarers’ Union, says that international organisations should intervene, as it is unacceptable for a commercial vessel to be subjected to a military attack in an area not considered a conflict zone. The vessel was anchored and left to burn, and a safety perimeter was established around it.
The authorities were keen to reassure the public, stating that, despite the vessel’s proximity to the Romanian coast, its condition and its cargo, there is no risk to tourists, the local population or activities taking place on the Black Sea coast. In any case, the Romanian Naval Authority is monitoring the situation in cooperation with all the institutions involved. Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Defence in Bucharest has announced that it stands ready to assist. According to the Romanian President Nicușor Dan, “state institutions are on alert and will clarify the circumstances, causes and responsibilities relating to this serious incident, which is most likely part of the Russian Federation’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.” (MI)
