Bulgaria has launched a search for missing sailors after aerial and sea drones attacked two commercial ships in its exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea on Tuesday, 6 October.
According to a statement published by the Bulgarian government, one vessel sank and the other caught fire. Prime Minister Rumen Radev condemned the attacks, describing them as a violation of international and maritime law.
The government said the incident occurred about 70 nautical miles east of the coastal town of Byala. Bulgaria’s navy, air force, border police and maritime authorities joined the rescue operation, coordinated from Varna.
One ship sinks, another catches fire
The Bulgarian News Agency, citing information from the defence ministry, identified the sunken vessel as the Togo-flagged Alfa Watan. It suffered severe structural damage during the attack.
The second ship, the Palau-flagged Able, caught fire. All 18 crew members were rescued after abandoning the vessel, with assistance from the Bulgarian ferry Dioscuria.
Two injured sailors were transferred to a naval vessel for medical treatment. BTA reported that one had burns and the other a head injury. The remaining 16 crew members were transported towards shore by a border police boat.
Search continues for missing sailors
The Bulgarian government said the Dioscuria had witnessed an explosion and travelled to the scene. Rescuers found an overturned boat, three rafts and life jackets, but no survivors from the sunken ship had been located at the time of its statement.
Authorities were also monitoring the area for possible pollution following the sinking and fire.
BTA reported that the Able was carrying wheat and travelling south. The Alfa Watan was heading north, but its cargo had not been established. The number of people aboard the sunken ship remained unclear, according to Reuters.
Responsibility remains unresolved.
Reuters reported that Ukraine’s foreign minister blamed Russia. However, Bulgarian authorities had not established where the drones originated, and responsibility remained unresolved.
Radev warned that the conflict risked spreading further and said attacks on civilian shipping were increasing dangers for commercial vessels.
The Associated Press reported that NATO referred questions about the incident to Bulgarian authorities. The attacks followed a separate incident near Romania in which a Turkish-owned cargo ship sank after a drone strike, killing two people, according to Romanian authorities.
Radev said the growing threat was disrupting Black Sea shipping and increasing insurance costs.
