A maritime drone explodes at a Romanian Black Sea port, no one hurt
BUCHAREST, Romania — An incident involving a maritime drone occurred at a Black Sea port in Romania on Friday, but fortunately, there were no casualties reported, according to the Defense Ministry.
The drone self-detonated in the port of Constanta around 10:30 a.m. The area was immediately secured and isolated by the Romanian Intelligence Service, coast guard, and the Defense Ministry.
The Defense Ministry clarified that the drone did not belong to the Romanian army and was not part of any recent exercises in the Black Sea region. As a precautionary measure, the area was evacuated.
This incident follows a similar event last week when a Russian aerial drone strayed off course during an attack on Ukraine and hit an apartment building in Galati, Romania, injuring two individuals.
Authorities, including Raed Arafat, deployed helicopters to search for any additional drones and issued alerts to residents via text messages to ensure their safety.
President Nicusor Dan commended the swift actions of law enforcement and security services in preventing further harm. He emphasized the importance of maintaining vigilance in the current security environment.
The incident is seen as a direct result of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, which has led to heightened tensions in the region. Both Russia and Ukraine have been involved in drone incursions targeting NATO members since the conflict began in February 2022.
The Defense Ministry announced that the Romanian navy has successfully neutralized nine out of 156 sea mines in the Black Sea basin since the start of the war in Ukraine.
