Drone-Hit Tanker Carrying 9 Indians Reaches Romania, All Crew Members Safe

A chemical tanker carrying nine Indian seafarers has reached Romania’s Port of Constanta after being hit by a drone earlier this week, with all crew members safe, the Indian Embassy in Romania said on Saturday.

The vessel, YARA J, was struck at Sulina Anchorage on Wednesday. Indian Ambassador to Romania Manoj Kumar Mohapatra contacted Romanian search-and-rescue agencies and the tanker’s chief security officer to confirm the crew’s safety.

The embassy said all nine Indian seafarers were safe and the vessel had arrived at Constanta. The ambassador also assured the crew of the Indian government’s full support and assistance.

The incident comes amid growing concerns over the safety of Indian sailors in conflict-affected maritime regions. Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Friday that another vessel, crude oil tanker MT ST 3, carrying 15 Indian seafarers, had been struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz.

Sonowal confirmed that all 24 Indian seafarers aboard the two vessels were safe, with no casualties or injuries. The government is monitoring both incidents and remains in contact with the ship management companies. The identities of those responsible for the attacks remain unknown.

The incidents highlight growing risks to commercial shipping in the Black Sea, affected by the Russia-Ukraine war, and the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway in West Asia.

Earlier this month, three Indian nationals survived an attack on the Turkish-owned cargo vessel MV Royad Mammadov in the Black Sea. Two foreign crew members were killed, while several others were injured. One Indian survivor received medical treatment in Romania before returning to India.

According to the 2026 BIMCO-ICS Seafarer Workforce Report, India has 311,936 maritime professionals, accounting for 12.16% of the global seafaring workforce and making it the world’s second-largest supplier of seafarers.