BUCHAREST, August 28. /TASS/. A commercial ship flying the flag of the Dominican Republic sank in Romania’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea following a shipboard fire, the Agerpress news agency reported.

"At around 7:00 p.m. local time [4:00 p.m. GMT] border police of the Romanian coast guard were informed by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Constanta that a fire broke out aboard a commercial vessel. The ship was in Romania’s exclusive economic zone, approximately 20 nautical miles southeast from Sfantu Gheorghe," the coast guards said in a statement.

"In a rescue operation that continued until 9:00 p.m. local time [6:00 p.m. GMT] all 12 people on board the merchant ship were rescued," the statement said.

Romanian President Nikusor Dan, who is currently on a visit to Moldova, told reporters in Chisinau that the ship had been struck but did not specify the origin or nature of the strike. "An investigation will be carried out," he said.