The cargo vessel Royad Mammadov sank in the Black Sea off the coast of Romania while carrying grain. A fire had broken out on board before the vessel went down.
As a result of the incident, two crew members died and 11 others were rescued. Three injured seafarers were evacuated by a Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs helicopter, while another eight crew members in stable condition were taken aboard rescue vessels.
The incident occurred in Romania’s exclusive economic zone, approximately 30 nautical miles south of Sfântu Gheorghe.
The official cause of the fire has not yet been announced.
Royad Mammadov was built in 2006 and sailed under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The vessel was carrying grain and was bound for the Italian port of Ravenna, where it was expected to arrive on October 12.
The vessel’s last recorded port call was Izmail, Ukraine, on September 18.
After the fire, the vessel sustained severe damage and later sank. The circumstances surrounding the incident are still being investigated.
