Royad Mammadov Sinks in the Black Sea After Drone Attack: 2 Dead
Cubierto por 4 fuentesPublicado
- Marine insightCargo Ship Carrying Indian And Azerbaijani Crew Sinks In Black Sea After Drone Strike, 2 Killed
- marinetraffic_maritimenewsTwo Dead in Alleged Attack on General Cargo Ship off Romanian Coast
- Portal PortuarioUcrania culpa a Rusia por fallecimiento de tripulantes del Royad Mammadov
- Trade newsBurning vessel abandoned and another sinks in Black Sea carnage
- Portal PortuarioAzerbaiyán confirma muerte de tripulante connacional del Royad Mammadov “tras un ataque con drones”
The Turkish-owned general cargo vessel Royad Mammadov caught fire and ultimately sank in the Black Sea on Monday, October 5, 2026, following what Ukraine described as a Russian drone attack. The incident left two crew members dead and eleven rescued, according to Romanian authorities.
The Royad Mammadov, built in 2006 and flagged in St. Kitts and Nevis, was carrying corn from the Ukrainian port of Izmail bound for Ravenna, Italy. The attack took place within Romania's exclusive economic zone, between 20 and 30 nautical miles from the coast, near the fishing port of Sfantu Gheorghe and close to offshore oil platforms.
Ukrainian Account
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attributed the incident to two Russian drones that struck a civilian vessel in international waters. He initially stated that the captain had died and that the fate of another crew member was still being determined; reports were later revised to confirm that the bodies of two crew members had been recovered.
Confirmation from Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the deceased captain was Azerbaijani national Rustam Ismayil oghlu Hasanov, while another compatriot, Mahammad Hamza oghlu Suleymanzade, remained missing. The rest of the Azerbaijani crew members were rescued, with three hospitalized, and the country began arrangements for the repatriation of the remains.
Rescue Operation
The Constanta Maritime Rescue Coordination Center coordinated the operation, which involved the Romanian vessels SAR Apollo, SAR Artemis and SAR Ares, along with a helicopter from the General Aviation Inspectorate. Of the eleven survivors rescued, three were injured and evacuated by air. Romania's Ministry of Interior confirmed the fire and the rescue but did not comment on the cause or confirm the involvement of drones.
Regional Context
The incident occurred amid a rise in reported attacks in the Black Sea: hours later, the sinking of the vessel Alfa Watan and a fire on board the Able off the coast of Bulgaria were reported, in addition to an attack on another Marshall Islands-flagged vessel that left one dead and seven injured. According to Trade News, these incidents bring the number of seafarers killed since the start of the war to around 60.
