Ukrainian Sea Mine Explodes When Hitting Romanian Dam in Costinesti, Black Sea

An underwater explosion rocked the area of the pier in front of the Forum Hotel in the Costinesti seaside resort on Monday morning around 9:00 hrs. There were no injuries or fatalities, Constanta County’s Dobrogea Emergency Management Inspectorate (ISU) announced. An ISU Dobrogea first-responder crew with a particular fire truck and a RIB boat was quickly deployed to the scene and cordoned off the zone.

Preliminary data shows a sea mine caused the explosion. A team of divers specializing in destroying explosive devices is acting at the scene.

Regarding the second mine reported as floating in the same area, we inform you that the Romanian Naval Forces have prepared a team of EOD divers who will board a Coast Guard ship from Mangalia. Together they will move, in the shortest possible time, to the indicated district to evaluate the situation and intervene for neutralization to the extent that the mine is identified.

Regarding the second mine reported as floating in the same area, we inform you that the Romanian Naval Forces have prepared a team of EOD divers who will board a Coast Guard ship from Mangalia. Together they will move, in the shortest possible time, to the indicated district to evaluate the situation and intervene for neutralization to the extent that the mine is identified. We will return with details through the Press Office of the Naval Forces, depending on the evolution of the situation.

Romanian Ministry of Defense press release

A second drifting mine was reported in the area of the Costinesti breakwater, which is why a Romanian Navy EOD diver team was called to the indicated sea sector to assess the situation and neutralize the device, the Navy Press Office said.

The Ukrainian navy places the sea mines at the beginning of the war to hinder an invasion from the sea by the Russian forces.

The risk with these sea mines in the Black Sea, apart from the danger to the tourists on the shore, is that there will be naval ceremonies dedicated to August 15, Saint Mary’s and Romanian Navy Day in Romania. Romanian and foreign warships will participate in the official ceremonies.