Black Sea Alert: Three More Maritime Drones Discovered on Romanian Coast

CONSTANȚA, ROMANIA — Security fears along the Black Sea have escalated dramatically after three unmanned maritime drones were discovered washed up on the Romanian coast. The discovery follows a powerful, self-detonating naval drone explosion that rocked the major commercial port of Constanța earlier on Friday, June 5, 2026.

The back-to-back maritime incidents have forced NATO-member Romania into a state of high alert, triggering mass evacuations, emergency aerial sweeps, and direct warnings to coastal residents. The security crisis began on Friday morning when an unmanned marine vessel, approximately 7 to 8 meters in length, was spotted floating near berth 78 of the Romanian Agency for Life Saving at Sea (ARSVOM) inside the Port of Constanța.

Teams from the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), the Coast Guard, and the Ministry of National Defense quickly arrived to isolate and secure the civilian section of the port. However, at approximately 10:30 AM local time, the drone self-detonated violently.

"The drone self-detonated without causing any casualties," the Romanian Ministry of Defense confirmed in an official statement. "It is of the type used in the war in Ukraine. The object is not part of the Romanian Army's equipment and was not involved in any recent military exercises."

Shortly after the port blast, Romanian authorities confirmed the discovery of three additional maritime drones along the coast, amplifying fears of a broader, drifting threat in the regional waters.

In response, Deputy Interior Minister Raed Arafat activated emergency protocols, deploying military helicopters to survey the coastline for further threats and sending out text alerts to residents.

"We now know there is the risk of self-detonation, and we have evacuated in case there are more drones," Arafat stated. "We are not panicking; the measures are purely preventative. If there are other drones, we want to make sure there is not another explosion in an area where people have not been evacuated."

The dual maritime incidents cap off a highly tense week for Romanian national security. Just days’ prior, an aerial Russian-made Geran-2 drone went astray during an attack on Ukraine and struck a residential apartment building in the eastern Romanian city of Galați, injuring two civilians. That event led Bucharest to swiftly expel Russia's consul general in Constanța.

The Port of Constanța is a critical logistical node, sitting adjacent to the Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base—a key installation hosting a significant presence of US and NATO forces.

Romanian President Nicușor Dan praised the rapid, preventive response of the security services and reiterated that the nation must remain highly vigilant. "With a military conflict on the border, it is obvious that the security environment we are in is a sensitive one," Dan said, calling the incidents a "direct consequence of the war of aggression unleashed by Russia against Ukraine."

A specialized investigation led by prosecutors and federal air and maritime safety units is underway to determine the exact origin and trajectory of the drifting vessels.