A maritime drone identified as being “of the type used in the war in Ukraine” detonated on Friday morning inside the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanta, according to the Romanian Ministry of National Defense. Authorities confirmed that no casualties or injuries were reported following the blast.
The drone was discovered in the civil port area earlier in the day, near facilities operated by the Romanian Agency for the Rescue of Human Life at Sea. Officials said it exploded at approximately 10:30 a.m. local time while being assessed and secured by specialized teams.
Romanian defense authorities stressed that the device did not belong to the Romanian military and was not connected to any domestic exercises in the Black Sea region. The ministry stated that the object was believed to be “of the type used in the war in Ukraine” and remains under investigation.
Security forces, including personnel from the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Coast Guard, and the Ministry of Defense, had already cordoned off the area before the explosion. Officials confirmed that the site had been under controlled examination when the detonation occurred.
In response to the incident, emergency authorities widened precautionary measures along parts of the Romanian Black Sea coastline. Raed Arafat, head of the Department for Emergency Situations, said evacuation steps were taken due to concerns that additional devices could be present. “We now know there is the risk of self-detonation… we have evacuated in case there are more drones,” he said, adding that the measures were preventive rather than panic-driven.
