A naval drone of a model used in the Russia-Ukraine war exploded Friday morning at Romania’s Black Sea port of Constanța, prompting the evacuation of the surrounding area and triggering a government investigation into how the unidentified device reached Romanian shores. The blast occurred near piers 77–78 at about 06:20 local time, according to the Ministry of National Defence, which said the drone was detected and neutralised before detonation. No casualties have been reported, and authorities activated the national Ro-Alert system to warn residents to take shelter.
Romanian President Nicușor Dan, speaking in Montenegro, said intelligence suggested the drone was intended to explode and that other similar devices in the area had been located and neutralised. “There is information with a certain degree of certainty that we are not making public,” he told reporters. The Defence Ministry confirmed the device was a naval drone “similar to those used in the war in Ukraine,” raising immediate questions about maritime security in the Black Sea.
Emergency services responded under the Red Intervention Plan, isolating the port zone and evacuating nearby buildings. Television footage broadcast live by Romania’s public broadcaster TVR captured the moment of detonation, showing a dense plume of smoke rising over the terminal. The port authority said operations were suspended and cargo handling halted as investigators from the Constanța Court of Appeal Prosecutor’s Office began a criminal inquiry.
Local union leader Adrian Mihălcioiu, representing Romanian seafarers in the International Transport Workers’ Federation, criticised the lack of modern coastal surveillance systems. “The absence of a modern coastal monitoring system raises serious questions,” he said. “This incident exposes critical vulnerabilities in maritime security.” The Defence Ministry countered that responsibility for monitoring Black Sea traffic lies with the Romanian Naval Authority, not the ministry itself.
International media and regional observers noted the explosion came days after a separate drone crashed into an apartment block in Galați, underscoring heightened tensions in Romania’s maritime domain. Kyiv Independent reported that three additional maritime drones were later discovered along the Romanian coast, while Digi24 cited sources saying two more devices had detonated near the Ukrainian side of the Black Sea.
Authorities have not publicly attributed the incident, but the proximity to oil terminals and the use of a drone model associated with the Ukraine conflict have intensified scrutiny of regional security arrangements. The government has pledged a full accounting as NATO member Romania faces renewed scrutiny over its preparedness in the Black Sea.
Naval drone explodes at Romania's Black Sea port, prompting evacuation and investigation