09.09.2022, Bucharest.
The minesweeper Locotenent Dimitrie Nicolescu of the Romanian Navy exploded on a Ukrainian mine, the press service of the Romanian Navy reported on September 9.
The minesweeper arrived at the site to defuse the Ukrainian mine. Weather conditions worsened in the area of the operation, the wind rose to 10-12 m/s, the sea state was 4 points, waves reached two meters high. The weather did not allow the military sailors to launch the dinghy, the press release said.
“Although safety measures were taken at nightfall, due to adverse weather conditions a drifting sea mine struck the side of the ship … A small breach occurred at waterline level in the stern of the ship,” the Romanian Navy press office reported.
The explosion damaged the ship, but the crew managed to keep it buoyant. There were no injuries or casualties among the crew, there were 75 crew members on board.
“On the order of the Chief of Naval Staff, the ship with divers Grozavul left the port of Constanta to provide assistance and tow the damaged minesweeper to the port,” the Romanian Navy noted.
Ukraine mined its coastal waters in spring, but a storm tore the mines from their cables, and now they are drifting in the Black Sea. So far this is the third mine that has arrived in Romanian territorial waters.
Ukrainian sea mines are regularly tossed by waves on the coasts of Ukraine and Russia.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
