A strong explosion occurred on Friday morning at the port of Constanța Port, very close to oil facilities.
According to available information, the blast was caused by an unmanned maritime vehicle (a sea drone). Local authorities stated that the object did not belong to the Romanian Army and was not part of recent exercises conducted by the Ministry of Defense in the Black Sea region.
BREAKING: Dramatic footage reportedly from Constanța Port, Romania, shows a major explosion involving what is believed to be a naval drone.
— Musat Sorin Mihai (@sorinmihaimusat) June 5, 2026
Official confirmation and full details are still pending.
A developing story from the Black Sea region. pic.twitter.com/0TLda1UegY
At the same time, according to Romanian Deputy Interior Minister Raed Arafat, there are strong suspicions that additional sea drones may be present in the area, prompting the deployment of helicopters for surveillance.
Sources cited by Digi24 report that up to four additional explosive-laden drones may be located in the coastal area near Constanța Port.
“Self-detonation” reported
The Romanian Ministry of Defense stated that the drone appears to have self-detonated. Authorities are also examining whether other unmanned devices are operating nearby.
Before the explosion, an alert had reportedly been issued after a suspicious floating object was detected inside the port area.
Emergency response and evacuation
Romanian authorities immediately ordered evacuations and sealed off the surrounding area to investigate the incident and determine the exact cause of the explosion.
They also advised citizens to take shelter in basements or civil protection shelters.
A large-scale emergency response operation was launched, involving around 80 personnel from the Constanța Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, along with:
- 8 fire trucks
- 8 ladder fire trucks
- 1 intensive care unit
- 10 emergency ambulances
- 2 mass-casualty ambulances
- 4 ambulances from the county emergency service
So far, no information has been released regarding casualties or damage, and the circumstances remain under investigation.
Suspicious object before the blast
Romanian outlet Mediafax reported that shortly before the explosion, an alert had been issued in the port regarding a suspicious object floating in the water.
Videos and images of the drone circulating online reportedly show it moments before the explosion, while a live broadcast by a TVR journalist captured the blast occurring during a report outside the port facility.
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