About 23 sailors had been reported dead or missing in incidents in the Black Sea in the 10 days leading up to October 15, according to Reuters.

The vessels that have been ​struck lately have either been anchored near or headed towards the Sulina ​Canal, which ⁠links the Danube River to the Black Sea

NATO announced that it would be sending additional maritime patrol aircraft, radar systems and drones to the Black Sea.

BUCHAREST, Oct 23 (Reuters) : Romanian President Nicușor Dan accused Russia of escalating its attacks on NATO's eastern flank on Friday, after ​a drone strike sank a cargo ship off the Romanian Black ‌Sea coast, killing at least one sailor, with three still missing.

Video footage released by the Romanian authorities showed only a small section of the capsized tanker's hull remaining visible above the waves as it sank. In choppy seas and high winds, emergency vessels searched the surrounding waters for survivors.

The Comoros-flagged Khoryv,

Romania's naval authority ⁠said the Comoros-flagged Khoryv, (IMO 8138712, MMSI 620999164), with a crew of 13 Ukrainian and Azeri sailors, ​had sent a distress signal 13 nautical miles off Romania's port of Constanta, ​just beyond Romanian territorial waters. Nine sailors were rescued from the water, three were missing, and one body was recovered. According to Reuters, about 23 sailors had been reported dead or missing in incidents in the Black Sea in the ten days leading up to 15 October.

A sharp increase in lethal assaults on commercial vessels 

In the past two weeks, there has been a sharp increase in lethal assaults on commercial vessels near the shores of NATO countries Romania and Bulgaria. A minimum of seven cargo ships have been attacked, and around 30 sailors are reported to have perished or are missing.

"It is part ‌of ⁠Russia's escalation process in its war in Ukraine," President Dan told reporters, later saying the ship had been hit by a drone.

The vessels that have been struck recently

On Tuesday, NATO announced that it would be sending additional maritime patrol aircraft, radar systems and drones to the Black Sea. The alliance has not specified the capabilities that will be sent. On Saturday, Romanian jets shot down two Russian drones of the latest generation over Romanian territorial waters.

The vessels that have been struck recently have either been anchored near the Sulina Canal or have been heading towards it. The Sulina Canal links the Danube River to the Black Sea.

Related: Details : Container ship sinks after hitting mine south of the Strait of Hormuz

The canal has become the primary export route for Ukraine, one of the world's largest exporters of grain and vegetable oil, which has relied on Danube River ports and Romanian territorial waters since Russia attacked its own Black Sea ports. Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria have called on NATO to do more to protect commercial shipping in the Black Sea.

Agencies

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