The merchant vessel Christiana B, heading to Ukraine, was damaged in the Black Sea near Romania. Information about the new incident at sea was released on Thursday by the Romanian Department for Emergency Situations, reports UNN.
Details
"On the night of July 23-24, 2026, the Romanian authorities were notified via the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) of the Romanian Naval Authority about an incident on board the merchant vessel Christiana B, which was transporting coal under the Liberian flag from Norfolk (United States of America) to Ukraine, in Romania's exclusive economic zone, approximately 22 nautical miles southeast of the town of Sfântu Gheorghe," the statement reads.
As stated, "the emergency call was transmitted via the international maritime channel; the crew reported damage to the vessel and requested support. At that time, there was information that there was a risk of crew evacuation."
After receiving the request, as noted, special response mechanisms were activated, including a helicopter for aerial photography to assess the situation on site.
"Information provided by the ship's captain indicates that there are no casualties, and the crew no longer requires evacuation. The vessel can also continue its journey to the shore to conduct technical inspections and repair the damage," the country's Department for Emergency Situations stated. "Preliminary assessments indicate that the damage to hold No. 6 could have been caused by the impact of a maritime drone or the explosion of a naval mine."
"The Romanian authorities are monitoring the development of the situation and maintaining operational cooperation between all structures responsible on the ground to provide the necessary support and take appropriate measures. Given the dynamic nature of the operational situation, the information presented is preliminary and subject to change," the statement said.