Romanian navy defuse drifting mine on Black Sea coast
Illustrative photo (Getty Images)
The Romanian Navy conducted a controlled detonation of a mine approaching the Black Sea shore on Tuesday, August 13, according to Reuters.
According to the Romanian Ministry of Defense, local authorities reported an unidentified object washed ashore early in the morning in the Grindu Chituc area in southeastern Romania. This area is part of the Danube Delta, bordering Ukraine.
"By examining photographs taken on site, the object is most likely an anti-landing seamine of the YaRM type," the ministry's statement said.
The mine was successfully destroyed by the military.
The Black Sea plays a crucial role in transporting grain, oil, and oil products. Its shores are shared by Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Türkiye, as well as Ukraine and Russia. Since the start of the war, over 100 drifting mines have been detected and neutralized in the Black Sea, according to the Romanian Navy.
Black Sea demining
Since the onset of Russia's war against Ukraine in 2022, Romania, Bulgaria, and Türkiye have formed a joint task force to neutralize drifting mines in the Black Sea. This became necessary after hazardous objects began appearing on the sea surface due to the ongoing conflict in the region.
On July 1, Romania, Bulgaria, and Türkiye launched a joint operation to search for mines in the Black Sea.
