Key facts
- Romania destroyed a drone boat loaded with explosives near its Neptun Deep gas project.
- The drone boat was detected a few hundred meters from the main drilling platform.
- Romanian F-16 fighter jets used cannon fire to disable the drone before detonation.
- Romania's president blamed Russia for the incident and condemned "irresponsible incidents."
- This is the second drone incident near the Neptun Deep site this month.
Romania's military destroyed a drone boat carrying explosives near the Neptun Deep offshore gas project in the Black Sea, an incident the country's president blamed on Russia. The drone was spotted by the Romanian Coast Guard on August 20, a few hundred meters from the main drilling platform where hundreds of workers were present. Romanian F-16 fighter jets were scrambled to disable the drone with cannon fire, after which army specialists carried out a controlled detonation. Defense Minister Radu Miruță stated the drone boat was loaded with explosives. President Nicușor Dan condemned the action as an "intensification of these types of irresponsible incidents on the part of the Russian Federation" and affirmed vigilance alongside NATO allies. This marks the second drone-related incident near the Neptun Deep site this month, following the destruction of two Russian-made flying drones on August 11. Naval expert H.I. Sutton noted the drone boat was an unknown type, potentially capable of carrying missiles or aerial drones and equipped with satellite communication capabilities. The Neptun Deep project is considered a crucial energy site for the EU, expected to double Romania's gas production and supply other European countries upon full operation in 2027. The Black Sea has become a contested area since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with both sides utilizing drones and missiles. Drones from both Russia and Ukraine have occasionally strayed into European airspace, with some attributed to electronic warfare and others to deliberate provocations.