A tanker carrying liquified gas was hit in the Black Sea late Monday en route to Ukraine, the Romanian president said, a strike likely part of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Three crew members were injured in the blast and were evacuated to shore. They are being treated at a Romanian hospital in Tulcea. There was no word on how seriously they were hurt.
The Liberian-flagged tanker was about 20 maritime miles from Romanian waters when it was struck. It left Alexandria in Egypt last week and was headed to the Ukrainian port of Reni.
It was carrying 3,790 tons of propane gas and had a crew of 17, according to Romanian emergency authorities.
„The state institutions are on alert and will clarify the circumstances, causes and responsibilities related to this serious incident,” President Nicușor Dan said in a post Tuesday.
The Romania president said the incident was “most likely part of the Russian Federation’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.”
“Last night, the Liberian-flagged LPG Gas Lisbon vessel was hit outside Romania’s territorial waters, about 20 nautical miles off the Romanian coast.
Shortly after the incident, two ships of the Romanian sea rescue agency dashed to the scene and evacuated the entire crew, including the three injured members.
All were brought safely to shore,” the president wrote.
“A tugboat (was) sent to the area is ensuring that the vessel does not drift and does not pose an additional danger to navigation safety,” he said.
The tanker left Egypt on July 16 and was due to stop in the Romanian port of Sulina early Tuesday before heading to Ukraine.
