2 ships ablaze off Romanian Black Sea coast, search on for missing sailors

Rescuers were searching for seven missing crew on Thursday from one of two chemical tankers that caught fire overnight just outside Romanian territorial waters in the Black Sea, after Russian drones strayed into national airspace, Romanian officials said. Romanian President Nicusor Dan said the two ships had been struck by drones but declined to say whether they were Russian.“Two air drones hit them,” Dan told reporters in Brussels ahead of a summit of EU leaders, adding only a few hours had elapsed since the strikes, and Romania was waiting for more information.“There will be a reaction from the Romanian state,” he added.The two ships hit overnight were both anchored in the Black Sea near the mouth of the Sulina canal leading into the Danube River, a major shipping route used by Ukraine as Russia has attacked Ukraine’s own Black Sea ports. One was in Romanian waters, the other just outside. Story continues below advertisement The incidents follow drone strikes on at least five other cargo ships near the coasts of Romania and neighboring fellow NATO member Bulgaria over the past 10 days. At least 23 sailors were lost from those strikes, which took place just outside NATO’s territor...