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French Plane Extends Stay in Black Sea After Cargo Ship Attacks
Confirmed
In Short: A French maritime patrol aircraft will remain in Romania to monitor the Black Sea following attacks on merchant ships.
A French maritime patrol aircraft will extend its stay in Romania to bolster surveillance in the Black Sea after a series of deadly strikes on merchant ships, its commander said on Thursday. The plane was deployed to Romania on October 18 after NATO members Romania and Bulgaria requested reinforcements.
The French aircraft, an Atlantique 2, was able to detect three sea drones that ultimately struck and sank the Greek-owned container vessel Contship Jet in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone on October 28. At least nine cargo ships were hit near the coast of Romania and Bulgaria in October, with 34 sailors reported dead or missing.
The commander of the French aircraft, whose identity was not disclosed for security reasons, said, “The Atlantique 2 presence will be maintained for a few weeks from now on. We are here to ensure the safety of navigation of the commercial traffic in the Black Sea.” However, the aircraft is not equipped to neutralize or intercept these types of drones.
France’s commitment to defending all its members, including those on the Black Sea, is “ironclad,” NATO said. The alliance has committed to investing more than $40 billion in counter-drone capabilities in the next five years.
France will keep the Atlantique 2 at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base 57 for several more weeks, as attacks on commercial vessels have heightened concerns about navigation safety in the Black Sea. France condemned the attacks and expressed solidarity with Romania and Bulgaria, calling for a moratorium on attacks in the Black Sea.
What this adds
The French aircraft’s extended stay in Romania underscores the heightened security concerns in the Black Sea following the recent attacks on merchant ships.
What's confirmed
- The plane was able to detect the three sea drones which ultimately struck and sank the Greek-owned container vessel Contship Jet in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone on October 28.
- “The Atlantique 2 presence will be maintained for a few weeks from now on. We are here to ensure the safety of navigation of the commercial traffic in the Black Sea,” said the aircraft’s commander, whose identity was not given by the French naval forces for security purposes.
What's still developing
- The silhouette of a French navy boat surrounding the GRINCH oil tanker, intercepted by France in the Alboran Sea on suspicion of operating under a false flag and belonging to Russia's shadow fleet that enables Russia to export oil despite sanctions, and diverted to the port of Marseille-Fos, in the Gulf of Fos-sur-Mer, near Martigues, France, January 25, 2026.