Drones hit two merchant ships in Bulgaria's Black Sea zone; one sinks, crew missing

Drones struck two civilian merchant ships in the Black Sea, inside Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). One ship sank. Its crew has not been found, and a search operation was launched. All 18 crew members of the second ship were rescued.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said both air and sea drones were used. He did not say who carried out the attacks and did not accuse Russia. No party is reported to have claimed responsibility.

The search area was off the town of Byala in eastern Bulgaria. Rescuers found overturned life rafts and life jackets. The number of missing crew members has not been specified.

The ships

The ship that sank flew the flag of Togo, according to Radev, as reported by the BBC, and according to Maritime.bg, as cited by France 24. The BBC named it the Alfa Watan, a Turkish-owned general cargo ship reportedly heading for Sulina, Romania. France 24, citing Radev, said it was sailing north and its cargo is unknown.

The second ship was flagged in Palau and carried grain. France 24, citing Radev, said the cargo was wheat and the ship was heading south. The BBC named it the Able. Its last reported position was five nautical miles (9 km) from the Alfa Watan, according to the BBC.

Radev said the 18 rescued crew were 11 Turkish and 7 Indian nationals. Two were injured. The BBC says they were hurt in a fire on board. France 24 describes one with burns and one with a head injury. According to France 24, the Bulgarian ferry Dioskuria witnessed the explosion of the first ship and went to the scene. A Bulgarian Navy fast boat joined it and rescued the two injured crew. Border guard patrol boats rescued the other 16.

The BBC reported that, according to Radev, the attacks happened at about 03:00 local time. France 24 reported that the Bulgarian government would hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday.

Context

On Monday, Romania reported that a grain ship caught fire and sank in the Black Sea, with one crew member killed and one missing, according to France 24. A separate attack near Odesa on Tuesday killed one crew member and injured seven, the BBC reported; the ship was flying the flag of the Marshall Islands, according to Ukrainian media cited by the BBC. Turkey's Chamber of Maritime Commerce (IMEAK) said last month that 226 civilian and commercial vessels have been attacked in the Black Sea since the war began, most of them this year, France 24 reported.

What is disputed

The distance of the site from Byala is unclear. The BBC quoted Radev as giving some 70 miles (112 km). France 24 cited authorities as saying 70 nautical miles east of Byala.

What each side says

Radev called the attack "a flagrant violation of maritime law", the BBC reported, and said: "Such an attack within the Bulgarian exclusive economic zone is absolutely unacceptable." France 24 quoted him as saying the situation "significantly complicates navigation in the Black Sea, drives up insurance premiums, and makes maritime traffic extremely difficult".

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X, as quoted by the BBC: "Attacks on civilian shipping are unacceptable." She said the exact circumstances "are still being established".

A day before the incident, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of striking a civilian vessel carrying corn, according to the BBC. Ukraine blamed Russia for the Monday sinking off Romania, according to France 24. Moscow had not commented on the Bulgarian incident at the time of the BBC's report.

Analysis

The attacks took place inside Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, which Radev called "absolutely unacceptable". The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not identify who launched the drones. Bulgaria has not assigned blame, and attribution will likely shape any political or diplomatic response. Radev has linked such attacks to higher insurance premiums and harder navigation. If attacks on civilian shipping continue, possible effects include changes to shipping routes, costs or naval patrols in the western Black Sea. Much depends on what investigators establish and on the outcome of the Bulgarian government's emergency meeting. The fate of the missing crew remains unknown.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.