Tanker hit by explosion near Romania, drone attack suspected

A Liberian-flagged tanker was damaged by an apparent explosion approximately 20 nautical miles off Romania’s coast on Tuesday, July 21, in an incident that authorities say may have involved a maritime drone attack.

The vessel, identified as the Gas Lisbon, had departed from Egypt’s port of Alexandria and was en route to the Ukrainian port of Reni when the blast occurred, according to Romanian President Nicușor Dan.

“State authorities are on high alert and will determine the circumstances, causes and responsibility for this serious incident, which is most likely part of Russian attacks against Ukraine,” Dan said in a statement cited by local media, including Antena3 and Digi24, and reported by RBC-Ukraine.

Romanian emergency response services reacted swiftly, dispatching two vessels from the Romanian Agency for Saving Human Life at Sea (ARSVOM) to the scene shortly after the explosion. All 17 crew members on board were successfully evacuated.

Three crew members sustained injuries and received medical assistance. According to Antena3, two of the injured suffered burns covering approximately 10–15% of their body surface, while a third had multiple wounds and was bleeding heavily.

The tanker remains anchored at the incident site, though a fire that broke out following the explosion has not yet been fully extinguished. Authorities have deployed a specialised tugboat to secure the vessel, prevent it from drifting and reduce potential risks to navigation and maritime safety.

Preliminary assessments cited by Digi24 suggest the explosion may have been caused by a maritime drone, although its origin has not been established.

By Tamilla Hasanova