A coal-carrying ship en route from the U.S. to the Odesa region was involved in an incident near Romania

On the night of July 24, the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Christiana B—which was transporting coal from the United States to Ukraine—sustained damage in Romania’s exclusive economic zone.

Thiswas reportedby Romania’s Department for Emergency Situations (DSU).

During the night, Romanian authorities were notified of an incident aboard the Christiana B. The ship, flying the Liberian flag, was sailing from Norfolk, Virginia, to Ukraine with a cargo of coal.

<picture></picture>Photo: Romanian Department for Emergency Situations (DSU)

The vessel was in Romania’s exclusive economic zone, approximately 22 nautical miles southeast of the city of Sfântu Gheorghe.

The crew sent a distress call via the international maritime channel and reported damage to the vessel. Initially, it was reported that the crew might have to be evacuated.

Two vessels from the Romanian Agency for Maritime Search and Rescue (ARSVOM)—the SAR APOLLO and the SAR ARTEMIS—were dispatched to the scene of the incident. The situation was also assessed from the air: a helicopter from the General Aviation Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs conducted aerial photography.

According to the captain, there are no casualties on board, and evacuation is no longer necessary. The vessel will be able to reach shore under its own power, where technical inspections will be conducted and the damage repaired.

Preliminary reports indicate that hold No. 6 was damaged. The cause may have been an attack by a maritime drone or a mine explosion.

Romanian authorities continue to monitor the situation and are coordinating the efforts of all relevant agencies. At this time, the information is preliminary and subject to change.

This is not the first such incident off the coast of Romania in recent days. On the night of July 21, the Liberian-flagged tankerGas Lisbon, which was transporting propane to the Ukrainian port of Reni in the Odesa region, was struck in the Black Sea.

Ірина Глухова