BUCHAREST — Romanian forces destroyed a maritime drone carrying explosives after it was found drifting hundreds of meters from the Neptun Deep offshore gas project in the Black Sea, officials said.
A commercial vessel reported the unmanned craft at about 6:28 a.m. local time on Aug. 20 near the Neptun Alpha platform, roughly 80 nautical miles east of Constanța in Romania’s exclusive economic zone. The Romanian Coast Guard alerted the Ministry of National Defence, which set up an emergency command cell and assessed the threat to the platform and several hundred workers on site.
After consultations with President Nicușor Dan, operational control was transferred to Romanian forces and authorization was given to neutralize the vessel. Two Romanian Air Force F-16s were scrambled. One aircraft engaged the drone with its onboard cannon, damaging it and reducing the immediate danger. The craft remained afloat and continued to drift.
A Coast Guard vessel then carried an explosive ordnance disposal team from the Romanian Naval Forces to the scene. Specialists confirmed the damaged drone contained an explosive charge and carried out a controlled detonation. Defence Ministry video showed both the fighter engagement and the disposal operation.
Interim Defence Minister Radu Miruță said Ukraine, contacted through a recently established direct channel, confirmed the vessel was not Ukrainian. Dan condemned what he called an intensification of “irresponsible incidents” by Russia and praised the military and Coast Guard response.
The episode follows earlier action this month in which Romanian forces destroyed two Russian-made Gerbera aerial drones found near the same development. Neptun Deep, developed by OMV Petrom and Romgaz, is expected to sharply increase Romania’s gas output when full operations begin in 2027, making the site strategically important for Romania and the wider European energy market.
Officials said they remain on heightened alert and will continue coordinating with NATO partners to protect territorial waters, energy infrastructure and personnel in the Black Sea.
