Three Indian Seafarers Rescued After Black Sea Drone Strike Depart Romania for India

Three Indian nationals rescued from the Turkish-owned cargo vessel MV Royad Mammadov following a drone strike in the Black Sea have departed Romania for India, the Embassy of India in Bucharest announced on Saturday. The seafarers were identified as Sahil Sandhu, Ashwini Kumar and Harman Singh.

The vessel, owned by a Turkish company, was transporting corn from Ukraine’s Izmail port to Ravenna in Italy when it was struck on Monday while sailing outside Romania’s territorial waters. Two foreign seafarers were killed, and several crew members sustained injuries. All three Indian nationals survived the attack, although one was injured and received medical treatment in Romania. The nationalities of those killed were not immediately known.

The Indian Embassy coordinated with Romanian authorities and other concerned agencies to facilitate the survivors’ return. On October 7, an embassy representative visited the three Indians, who had been rescued on October 6. Two were accommodated at a hotel, while the injured seafarer was undergoing treatment at Constanța County Hospital. All three were reported to be in stable condition.

The mission also arranged essential supplies, including mobile phones, through the shipping company’s local agent. It coordinated with a local Indian restaurant to provide Indian food to the survivors. The embassy expressed its sincere gratitude to the Romanian authorities, Constanța County Hospital and Romanian rescue teams for their assistance, cooperation and support.

The embassy said it remained in close contact with the concerned authorities and continued to provide necessary assistance to the rescued seafarers.

The incident highlights the risks faced by civilian shipping and maritime workers amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict in the Black Sea region.

According to the BIMCO-ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2026, India has emerged as the world’s second-largest supplier of seafarers, contributing 311,936 maritime professionals, or 12.16 per cent of the global seafaring workforce. India ranks behind the Philippines and ahead of China, the Russian Federation and Indonesia.