A maritime drone exploded on Friday morning at Romania’s Constanta port, triggering a security response at one of the Black Sea’s most strategically important transport hubs.
Romania’s National Defence Ministry said the drone had been found at the Constanta Civil Port, near the headquarters of the Romanian Agency for Human Life Saving at Sea, and self-detonated at around 10.30am.
No casualties were reported.
The area had already been secured and isolated by the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Coast Guard and defence ministry forces while the object was being assessed, according to the ministry.
Momentul exploziei dronei navale din portul civil Constanța, surprins de reporterul TVR Ana-Maria Stancu în timp ce relata.#AnaMariaStancu #TVR #Constanta #PortulConstanta #Explozie #DronaNavala #Drone #BreakingNews #Romania #MareaNeagra #Actualitate #Stiri pic.twitter.com/BYeG894dIR
— defapt.ro (@defapt) June 5, 2026
Officials said the device was not part of Romanian military equipment and had not been involved in recent Romanian military exercises in the Black Sea. The ministry said it was of a type used in the war in Ukraine.
The case is being investigated by prosecutors attached to the Constanta Court of Appeal.
💥 Powerful explosion reported near Romania’s Port of Constanța
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) June 5, 2026
According to preliminary reports, a naval drone may have exploded in the area.
Authorities have cordoned off the site, and the circumstances of the incident are being investigated. pic.twitter.com/0NWEqKgvu2
Romanian emergency officials also issued preventive evacuation measures along parts of the coastal area as authorities checked whether other maritime drones could be present. Raed Arafat, head of Romania’s Department for Emergency Situations, said helicopters were carrying out reconnaissance along the coastline.
“We are not panicking. These are preventive measures,” Arafat said, adding that authorities wanted to ensure there was no further risk to the public.
President Nicusor Dan said he had been informed of the explosion while travelling to Montenegro and said the authorities had acted quickly to evacuate the area before the blast.
“The priority was and remains the protection of human life and the security of port infrastructure,” Dan said in a post on X.
He said investigators were examining how the drone reached the port and whether there were any additional risks.
Second Security Incident in a Week
Dan described the incident as the second serious security event on Romania’s Black Sea coast this week, following the discovery of a maritime mine between Vama Veche and 2 Mai and a recent drone incident in Galati.
“With a war taking place at our borders, it is clear that the security environment in which we find ourselves is particularly sensitive,” he said, adding that Romania would maintain a high level of vigilance.
Dan linked the incidents to Russia’s war against Ukraine, saying such developments were direct consequences of Moscow’s aggression.
Romania, a NATO member with a Black Sea coastline, has repeatedly reported security incidents linked to the war in neighbouring Ukraine. Constanta is a key port for NATO and an important route for trade and exports in the region.
Source: protothema.gr
