Drones Sink One Ship and Damage Another Off Bulgaria in the Black Sea
Cubierto por 4 fuentesPublicado
- splash 247Black Sea merchant shipping comes under fresh drone attack
- Portal PortuarioTripulantes permanecen desaparecidos tras ataques contra buques frente a costas de Bulgaria
- lloyds listDrone strikes in Nato waters leave crew missing as Black Sea threat widens
- GCAPTAIN_NEWSWar in Ukraine Escalates With Drone Strikes on Cargo Ships
- GCAPTAIN_NEWSDrone Sinks Ship in Bulgaria’s Black Sea – Media Reports
- Portal PortuarioPresidenta de la Comisión Europea afirma que ataques a buques civiles son inaceptables
Two merchant vessels were attacked by drones in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea, off the coast near the city of Byala and Cape St. Atanas. The general cargo vessel Alfa Watan, flying the flag of Togo, suffered critical structural damage and sank, while the search for its crew continues, with their condition still unknown. The other vessel, the Able, flagged in Palau, suffered a major fire that forced its 18 crew members to abandon ship; all were rescued by the Bulgarian ferry Dioscuria.
Uncertain attribution
The origin of the attack has not been officially confirmed. Bulgarian sources and the maritime security consultancy Vanguard stated that both vessels were struck by drones, while a Turkish source cited by Vanguard suggested the ships may have collided near the entrance to the Sulina Canal in Romania. The office of Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova confirmed the attack without providing further details, and the government declined to comment on who was responsible.
Bulgarian government response
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev described the incident as a serious violation of international law and convened an emergency meeting with key ministries and security services. Radev noted that the attacks severely hamper navigation in the Black Sea, raise insurance costs and complicate shipping operations, though he refrained from naming those responsible. President Iotova also called a security council meeting for Wednesday to assess the risks stemming from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Precedent in Romania
The attack came a day after the sinking of the Royad Mammadov, a Turkish-owned vessel flagged in St. Kitts and Nevis, in Romania's exclusive economic zone. The ship was carrying corn from Izmail to Italy when it caught fire and sank about 30 nautical miles south of Sfantu Gheorghe, leaving two crew members dead and eleven rescued. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the vessel was struck by two Russian drones.
International reactions
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the attacks unacceptable and warned that the situation in the Black Sea is increasingly worrying, with lives already lost at sea. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha argued that Russia should not be allowed to impose a hidden tax on international trade through violence. Security analysts warned that the threat is expanding into the exclusive economic zones of Romania and Bulgaria, beyond the waters near Ukraine.
