Turkish-flagged cargo vessel ‘Kafkametler’ collides with a mine in the Black Sea near Romania. All crew are safe, highlighting the persistent maritime risks in this high-risk zone.

On Thursday, October 5th, the Turkish-flagged cargo vessel “Kafkametler” encountered a mine in the Black Sea, off Romania’s coastline. While the ship underwent slight damages, all onboard were confirmed safe. The vessel’s encounter with the mine occurred 11 nautical miles north of Sulina, adjacent to the Sulina Canal’s entrance. British maritime security firm, Ambrey, reported an explosion after which the ship temporarily anchored to evaluate the damage. Later, it had resumed its journey without any reported injuries. This incident marked one of the few in recent months where a ship has made contact with a sea mine in this region. The presence of such mines has led insurers to categorize the Black Sea as a high-risk zone.

A Ukrainian government representative confirmed the mine collision, suggesting it might be a relic from World War II or from landing mines placed the previous year. Further details weren’t provided. Yoruk Isik, from Bosphorus Observer consultancy, identified the impacted vessel as “Kafkametler.” He stated that the ship sustained minor damage to a ballast tank, but the crew remained unharmed. The ship’s operator, Istanbul-based Kafkametler Maritime, hasn’t issued a statement regarding the incident.

Later that day, maritime analytics provider MarineTraffic indicated that “Kafkametler” had anchored in the Danube channel near the Ukrainian terminal of Vylkove.