**Romanian F-16s Destroy Explosive Maritime Drone Near Black Sea Gas Platform**
BUCHAREST — Romania scrambled F-16 fighter jets and later detonated an explosives-laden maritime drone after the unmanned vessel drifted within a few hundred meters of the Neptun Deep offshore gas project in the Black Sea, officials said Thursday.
A commercial ship first reported the craft at 6:28 a.m. local time on Aug. 20, the Ministry of National Defence said. The drone was inside Romania’s exclusive economic zone, about 80 nautical miles (148 kilometers) east of Constanța and close to the Neptun Alpha production platform, where several hundred workers were on site.
The Coast Guard immediately alerted the defence ministry. Officials convened an emergency command cell, assessed the threat to personnel and critical energy infrastructure, and requested that operational command pass to the Romanian armed forces. After consultations with President Nicușor Dan, authorities authorized the drone’s destruction.
Two Romanian Air Force F-16s were launched with orders to fire. One jet engaged the target with its onboard cannon and struck the vessel, damaging it and reducing the immediate risk. The craft remained afloat and continued to drift.
A Coast Guard ship then arrived with an explosive-ordnance disposal team from the Romanian Naval Forces. Specialists inspected the damaged drone, confirmed it carried an explosive charge, and carried out a controlled detonation that eliminated the remaining threat. The defence ministry later released video of both the fighter engagement and the disposal operation.
Interim Defence Minister Radu Miruță said Ukraine, contacted through a newly established direct channel, confirmed the drone was not Ukrainian. President Dan condemned the episode and blamed Russia, calling it part of a pattern of “irresponsible incidents” that endanger NATO’s Black Sea flank.
The event followed earlier incidents in August in which Romanian forces destroyed two Gerbera-type drones found drifting near the same offshore project.
Neptun Deep, developed by OMV Petrom and state-owned Romgaz, is Romania’s largest natural-gas development and is expected to begin production in 2027, potentially making Romania the European Union’s largest gas producer. Officials said the latest incident illustrates the growing danger unmanned systems pose to energy infrastructure and civilian workers as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues.
Romanian authorities said they remain on heightened alert and will keep coordinating with NATO partners to protect territorial waters, offshore facilities and personnel. The episode, they added, underscores the need for rapid-response capabilities across the Black Sea region.
