The 17-member crew was taken safe to shore early Tuesday morning after it reported the ship, which left the Constanta seaport shortly after midnight, was taking on water and had tilted dangerously.
Ion Voicu, head of the Romanian sea search and rescuing agency ARSVOM, said rescue teams sent in to try and prevent the ship from sinking were unable to do anything. He said the ship sank around 12:50 p.m., about six nautical miles off the Constanta seaport dam.
„We were unable to save the ship because it started taking on more and more water just as rescuers were securing ties to tow it back to shore. It seems doors were open on board and, when it tilted, it started taking more and more hours and sunk within two=-three hours,” Voicu said.
He added two tow-boats would remain at the scene for the next two or three days in case of fuel leaks.