On the morning of 23 October, the merchant vessel Khoryv sank in the Black Sea off the coast of Romania. According to preliminary information, it may have been hit by a drone. There were 13 crew members on board, including 10 Ukrainian citizens and three Azerbaijani citizens.
At around 10:00 a.m., the coordination centre of the Romanian Maritime Authority received a distress alert from the vessel Khoryv, which was in trouble outside Romania’s territorial waters. At the time, it was approximately 13 nautical miles (about 24 kilometres) from the port of Constanța. This was reported by Ua.News.
After the distress signal was received, vessels from the Romanian Agency for Saving Human Life at Sea (ARSVOM) and Romania’s Ministry of Internal Affairs were dispatched to assist the crew.
The rescue operation was hampered by adverse weather conditions and poor visibility, making it impossible to deploy a helicopter for search and rescue operations.
“Due to adverse weather conditions and poor visibility, it is impossible to deploy a helicopter for the rescue operation. So far, rescue vessels have managed to pull nine people alive from the water and recover one body,” the agency said.
Thus, according to the available information, nine crew members were rescued and one person died. The whereabouts of the remaining sailors are still being clarified.
The Khoryv is known to have sailed under the flag of the Comoros.
Romanian media report that the merchant vessel may have been hit by a drone. However, the cause of the incident has not yet been officially established.
Romanian President Nicușor Dan described the incident as part of Russia’s escalation.
According to Romanian media reports, several attacks on merchant vessels have occurred in the western Black Sea over the past few weeks.
The circumstances surrounding the sinking of the Khoryv, including reports that it may have been hit by a drone, are to be established by the relevant authorities.
This was reported by Digi 24 and Romania TV.
Earlier, at least 12 people died after a boat carrying migrants sank off the coast of The Gambia.
The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said that a cargo ship sank in the Strait of Hormuz after striking a sea mine.
