SAN MARINO – Seven seafarers are still missing after the chemical tanker Wine Traderflying the San Marino flag, was hit by drones on the morning of Thursday 15 October in the Black Sea, approximately 13 nautical miles south-east of Sulina, off the Romanian coast. According to information released by the Romanian Naval Authority, there were twelve people on board: five were rescued.
The State Congress follows the developments with apprehension and expresses its closeness to the crew and families, with particular attention to the seafarers still missing.
The attack comes against a backdrop of growing insecurity for commercial shipping. During October, at least seven merchant ships with different flags were hit mainly off the Romanian and Bulgarian coasts.
The San Marino Government announces that it will take action in the competent international bodies, in particular at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), of which San Marino is a member, to call for “respect for international law and the rules protecting merchant navigation and the safety of seafarers”.
The authorities will follow the investigations into the dynamics of the attack and will promote initiatives to clarify the circumstances of the incident and, where the conditions exist, assert the responsibilities established by international law.
“The continuation of search and rescue operations and the finding of missing seafarers remain the priority”, reiterates the Congress of State, underlining that the protection of human life at sea must be guaranteed without distinctions of flag.
