Romanian authorities say an F-16 fighter jet was sent Thursday to disable a maritime drone found drifting dangerously close to the Neptun Deep offshore gas project in the Black Sea.
The incident began on Aug. 20 after a commercial vessel reported the unmanned craft at about 6:28 a.m. local time. Officials said the drone was several hundred meters from the Neptun Alpha production platform, about 80 nautical miles — roughly 148 kilometers — east of Constanța, inside Romania’s exclusive economic zone.
The Coast Guard alerted the Ministry of National Defence, which set up an emergency command cell to assess the threat to the platform and the hundreds of workers on site. Interim Defence Minister Radu Miruță said the situation required immediate action. 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, prompting a second phase of the operation.
A Coast Guard vessel carrying an explosive ordnance disposal team from the Romanian Naval Forces was sent to the scene. Specialists located the damaged drone and said it contained an explosive charge. The team then carried out a controlled detonation, eliminating the remaining threat. Video released by the Defence Ministry showed the jet engagement and the later disposal operation.
Romanian officials also sought to determine the drone’s origin. Miruță said authorities contacted Ukraine through a recently established direct channel and received confirmation that the vessel was not Ukrainian.
President Dan condemned the episode and blamed Russia, saying such incidents show the growing security risks facing Romania and other NATO members on the Black Sea. He praised the military personnel and Coast Guard teams involved.
The case follows earlier drone activity near the same project. Earlier in August, Romanian forces destroyed two Russian-made Gerbera-type aerial drones found near Neptun Deep.
The field is strategically important to Romania and the European energy market. Developed by OMV Petrom and Romgaz, Neptun Deep is expected to sharply increase Romania’s natural gas output once full-scale production begins in 2027.
Officials said the episode underscores the risks created by Russia’s war against Ukraine, as unmanned systems operate closer to NATO territory and critical infrastructure. Romania says it remains on heightened alert and will continue coordinating with NATO partners to protect its waters, energy facilities and personnel in the Black Sea.
