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Incident in the Black Sea. When will the West respond?
Photo. anttilipponen / Wikimedia Commons
A commercial vessel has been struck by a drone and sunk in the Black Sea near the coast of Romania. At least one of the 13 crew members did not survive.
Romanian maritime authorities reported a serious incident in the Black Sea on Friday, 23 October. According to GeoInsider, the struck vessel Khoryv was sailing under the flag of the Comoros Islands from Ereğli, Türkiye, to Sulina, Romania, carrying ferrous materials.
BREAKING: 🇷🇴 Another commercial vessel has been struck by a drone and sunk in the Black Sea, approximately 13 nautical miles off Constanța, Romania. The vessel, KHORYV (IMO 8138712), was sailing under the flag of the Comoros Islands from Ereğli, Türkiye, to Sulina, Romania, carrying ferrous materials. According to Romania’s Naval Authority, 13 crew members were on board: 10 Ukrainian nationals and three Azerbaijani nationals. Ministry of Health, report one confirmed death, three crew members missing and nine injured. The vessel reportedly capsized and sank following the impact. Nine crew members were reportedly rescued from the water by another commercial vessel nearby. Romanian authorities have launched a major search-and-rescue operation, deploying Border Police vessels and the Artemis, operated by Romania’s Agency for Saving Human Life at Sea (ARSVOM). A Black Hawk helicopter was also requested, but heavy rain and adverse weather conditions prevented it from reaching the scene. More updates to follow.
— GeoInsider (@InsiderGeo) October 23, 2026
Officials quoted by the Romania Insider portal reported that “a large-scale search and rescue operation is currently underway in the Black Sea. The Maritime Coordination Centre, operating under the Romanian Naval Authority, was notified today at approximately 10:00 (local time) regarding the vessel Khoryv, which was in distress outside Romanian territorial waters, 13 nautical miles from Constanța. There were 13 crew members on board: 10 Ukrainian citizens and three citizens of Azerbaijan.”
During the rescue operation, nine crew members have been saved so far and one body has been recovered. The remaining sailors are still being searched for.
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The incident was addressed by Romanian President Nicușor Dan, as quoted by Reuters. He stated that it constitutes part of the Russian escalation in the region.
Another incident, no reaction
This is yet another instance of a vessel being hit in the Black Sea that was not a military target. Russian drone incursions into the airspace of Romania and Moldova have become a near-regular occurrence. In Poland, we constantly receive alerts regarding potential danger coming from the air. Now we are dealing with a strike on a ship in the Black Sea that has led to the death of at least one crew member.
Russia is absolutely winning the hybrid war. It escalates, pushing boundaries further and further, while Europe and NATO debate when and how to react, simultaneously promoting unity and compassion for the victims. Current measures are not working; Russia does not have to fear subsequent strikes or incidents. In time, we will become accustomed to further reports of sunken ships and human casualties. Then, if not sooner, the next escalation from Russia will occur. The West must begin to act proactively, rather than reactively, as has been the case so far.
