Drone strike damages cargo ship in Romanian territorial waters near Snake Island

A cargo ship was struck by a drone in Romanian territorial waters on the evening of November 13, 2026. The vessel, identified as the LARISSA 1, was hit at approximately 21:40 while traveling from Bizerte, Tunisia, toward Ukraine via the Sulina shoal. The strike caused damage to one of the ship's cargo cranes, though officials confirmed that no fire occurred and no crew members were injured. The LARISSA 1 is a general cargo ship built in 1999 with a deadweight of 17,064 tons and flies the flag of Palau.

Military response and air alerts

The incident triggered significant military activity in the region on November 15, 2026. The Romanian Ministry of National Defense radar detected an aerial target near Snake Island during the morning hours. In response to this detection, two F-16 fighter jets from the 86th Air Base in Fetești were deployed on combat readiness. Additionally, Spanish F-18 aircraft were deployed for surveillance following the detection of aerial targets, according to Focus News Agency.

The National Military Command Center notified the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations regarding the aerial threat. This led to the issuance of two RO-Alert warnings for Tulcea county. The first warning was sent to the eastern part of the county at 04:45, followed by a second warning for the northern part at 05:39. The air alert was officially canceled at 05:52 on November 15, 2026.

Minister of National Defense Ștefan-Radu Oprea stated that "Institutional cooperation between the Naval Forces, Ministry of Internal Affairs, and Coast Guard is functioning successfully."

Context of maritime security

The LARISSA 1 incident marks the second confirmed case of a merchant vessel being struck in Romanian territorial waters. The previous incident occurred on October 15, 2026, when the ship Wine Trader was struck by three Russian Geran drones approximately 13 nautical miles from Sulina. The current incident involved the LARISSA 1, which was located between 6.8 and 7.4 nautical miles from Sfântu Gheorghe as of November 14, 2026.

Regarding the ship's operations, Bulgarian media reported that the ship's ownership and management are handled by companies based in Turkey. The vessel had arrived in the area approximately seven days before the drone strike. Following the incident, the crew notified the naval authorities in Sulina regarding the damage sustained to the vessel.

Glossary

• Palau — Palau is a country that is among the nationalities for which Ireland does not grant visa-free entry.
• Romanian Ministry of National Defense — The Romanian Ministry of National Defense is a government entity that conducts tests in cooperation with SpaceX. It works alongside the National Authority for Communications Administration and Regulation (ANCOM).
• Fetești — Fetești is a location that serves as the starting point for a section of the motorway between Bucharest and Constanța. It is also the location of the 86th Air Base.
• National Military Command Center — The National Military Command Center is an entity involved in the authentication of presidential orders. It includes a deputy director of operations who conducts authentication with the president.
• General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations — The General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations is a Romanian institution that manages emergency services. It includes regional branches such as the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations Alba.