Maritime drone self-detonates in Romania's Constanța port; no casualties reported

Discovery and detonation

A maritime drone was spotted around 5:30 a.m. on Friday, 5 June, in the civil port of Constanța, near the headquarters of the Romanian Agency for Saving Human Life at Sea (ARSVOM). The object was caught in anti-pollution barriers at berth 78. Authorities secured and isolated the area with forces from the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), the Coast Guard, and the Ministry of National Defence (MApN).

At approximately 10:30 a.m., the drone self-detonated. The explosion was captured live by TVR Info during a broadcast about the discovered object. The Red Intervention Plan was activated at 10:29 a.m., according to the spokesperson for the Department for Emergency Situations (DSU), Bogdan Toma.

The maritime drone discovered this morning, 5 June, in the Civil Port of Constanța, near the headquarters of the Romanian Agency for Saving Human Life at Sea, self-detonated around 10:30 a.m., without causing casualties.

Official response and evacuation

A Ro-Alert message was issued advising residents to shelter in basements or civil protection shelters. Two helicopters conducted reconnaissance missions due to the possibility of additional drones in the area. ARSVOM director Iulian Crețu confirmed all agency personnel were evacuated and no victims were reported among staff.

The area is secured, all agency personnel have been evacuated, we are outside the perimeter. We have no victims among the agency.

MApN stated the object does not belong to the Romanian Army and was not involved in recent military exercises in the Black Sea. The case is being investigated by the Prosecutor's Office attached to the Constanța Court of Appeal.

Drone characteristics and context

The drone is of the type used in the war in Ukraine, according to MApN. Lucian Alexe Boris, union leader at ARSVOM, told local newspaper Cuget Liber that the device appeared more advanced than one discovered two years ago. The drone was described as a green vessel with antennas, possibly a drone type, and was blocked by anti-pollution barriers on the water.

It appears to be a more advanced drone than the one discovered two years ago. It got caught in the barrier at ARSVOM.

Broader regional tension

The incident follows a Russian drone strike on a residential building in Galați on 29 May, which left people injured and prompted a strong reaction from NATO and the Romanian government. In December 2025, the Romanian Navy carried out a controlled detonation of a 'Sea Baby' type maritime drone found off the coast of Constanța because it posed a risk to navigation.

There is no information about victims, but the situation is dynamic.

Raed Arafat, head of the DSU, confirmed the fluid nature of the operation and the ongoing reconnaissance flights to rule out further threats.