BUCHAREST — Romanian F-16 fighter jets and naval explosives specialists destroyed an unmanned vessel carrying an explosive charge after it drifted within a few hundred meters of the Neptun Deep offshore gas project in the Black Sea on August 20, officials said.
A commercial ship first reported the craft at about 6:28 a.m. local time near the Neptun Alpha production platform, roughly 80 nautical miles (148 kilometers) east of Constanța and inside Romania’s exclusive economic zone. The Coast Guard alerted the Ministry of National Defence, which set up an emergency command cell as several hundred workers were on site during installation work.
Interim Defence Minister Radu Miruță said the proximity to personnel and critical energy infrastructure required an immediate response. After consultations with President Nicușor Dan, two Romanian Air Force F-16s were scrambled with authorization to engage. One aircraft fired its onboard cannon and struck the drone, damaging it but leaving it afloat and still drifting.
A Coast Guard vessel then carried an explosive ordnance disposal team from the Romanian Naval Forces to the scene. Specialists inspected the craft, confirmed it contained an explosive charge, and carried out a controlled detonation. Defence Ministry tracking data later established that only one drone had been involved. The ministry released video of the fighter-jet pass and the later disposal.
Romanian officials contacted Kyiv through a recently established direct channel and received confirmation that the vessel was not Ukrainian. President Dan condemned the episode and attributed responsibility to Russia, calling it part of a pattern of “irresponsible incidents” that endanger NATO territory and energy infrastructure along the Black Sea. “We remain vigilant alongside NATO allies to defend ourselves and repel such challenges,” he said.
The episode was not isolated. On August 11, Romanian forces destroyed two drifting Gerbera-type drones near the same project. Those earlier devices were identified by naval officials as Russian-made. Romania has also intercepted Russian aerial drones that crossed its airspace in recent months.
Neptun Deep, developed jointly by OMV Petrom and state producer Romgaz, is central to Romania’s energy plans. Officials say full-scale production, expected in 2027, would make Romania the European Union’s largest natural-gas producer and add a significant supply source for the wider European market. NATO partners have previously flagged the site as a potential target amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Authorities said they remain on heightened alert and will continue coordinating with allies to protect territorial waters, offshore facilities, and personnel. The incident underscored how quickly unmanned systems can appear near NATO energy assets — and how tightly air, coast guard, and naval teams now have to work when they do.
