MApN: Romanian military, on search and rescue mission in Black Sea, after ship sinking

The Maritime Coordination Center under the coordination of the Romanian Naval Authority sent, on Thursday, to the General Staff of the Naval Forces an intervention request for the search and rescue of a missing person in the Black Sea, following the sinking of the ship "Volgo Balt 179," with the Comoros flag, about 77 nautical miles northeast of the head of the southern dam of the port of Constanta.

According to a release from the Ministry of National Defense, Rear Admiral Mihai Panait, Chief of Staff of the Naval Forces, immediately ordered measures to move the frigate "Regina Maria" to the place of the sinking of the ship "Volgo Balt 179" and to participate in the search and rescue mission of a missing person at sea.

The frigate "Regina Maria" has on board a Puma Naval helicopter, equipped with special rescue and survival equipment, as well as a group of divers prepared for intervention, states the quoted source.

The Ministry of National Defense brings to mind that the Romanian Naval Forces are able to carry out missions to search and save human lives at sea, in special conditions and in case of catastrophes, at the request of public authorities with responsibilities in the field.

Two people died, one is missing and ten were rescued, out of a total of 13 crew members (Ukrainian citizens) of the cargo ship that sank in the Black Sea on Thursday.

The leader of the Free Union of Navigators (SLN), Adrian Mihalcioiu, told AGERPRES that the ship "Volgo Balt 179" was carrying coal from the Russian port of Rostov-on-Don to the port of Constanta.