Romanian President Nicusor Dan announced Tuesday that a Liberian-flagged cargo ship traveling from Egypt to Ukraine was struck in waters just outside Romania’s territorial boundary, in what he described as an attack most likely tied to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The vessel, identified as the LPG Gas Lisbon, was hit roughly 20 nautical miles — about 40 kilometers — from the Romanian shoreline, according to Dan, who posted the announcement on X.
“Last night, the LPG Gas Lisbon, a Liberian-flagged vessel, was hit outside Romanian territorial waters, approximately 20 nautical miles (40 km) off the Romanian coast,” Dan wrote.
Romanian rescue teams responded to the scene and evacuated all crew members from the ship. Three of those crew members had sustained injuries. A tugboat was also sent out to prevent the damaged vessel from drifting and creating a hazard for other ships in the area.
Dan made clear that Romanian authorities are treating the matter seriously. “State institutions are on alert and will clarify the circumstances, causes and responsibilities related to this serious incident, most likely part of the illegal war of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine,” he stated.
The incident is not the first of its kind in the region. Romanian officials — representing a country that is both a European Union and NATO member sharing a border with Ukraine — have reported that Russian and Ukrainian drones have repeatedly entered Romanian airspace and territorial waters throughout this year.
Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has consistently denied involvement in reported incidents affecting Romania, instead attributing them to Ukraine or citing what it calls Ukrainian “provocation.”
