Another rescue operation in the Black Sea following a distress signal from a ship

Published on 23/10/2026 - 11:55 GMT+2

Romania launched a rescue operation in the Black Sea on Friday. A vessel sent out a distress signal 13 miles from Constanța after reported being struck by drones.

Thirteen sailors, from Ukraine and Azerbaijan, were on board the Khoryv. “Rescue vessels managed to recover nine people alive and one body from the water,” the Romanian Naval Authority said in a press release. Three other crew members are still missing.

The vessel is reported to have sunk. Adverse weather conditions and reduced visibility prevented a helicopter rescue operation.

This is the latest incident in the Black Sea, where drones believed to be Russian have struck ships off the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria in recent weeks.