World · Sofia
Drones Hit Two Ships in Bulgaria’s Black Sea Zone
In brief
Two commercial ships were attacked by sea and air drones early on Tuesday inside Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said. One vessel sank and a search is on for its crew; all 18 sailors on the other ship were rescued.
Radev told reporters the attack happened at around 3 a.m. local time roughly 70 nautical miles east of the coastal town of Byala, according to Bulgaria’s state news agency BTA. The Togo-flagged Alfa Watan was badly damaged and sank. A Bulgarian ferry that reached the area found overturned life rafts and life jackets, but no crew had been found, AFP reported. Officials have not said how many people were on board.
The second ship, the Palau-flagged Able, caught fire. Its 18 crew members, 11 Turkish and seven Indian nationals according to the BBC and AFP, were taken off by the Bulgarian ferry. Two were seriously hurt and were taken to hospital in Varna. The Able was carrying wheat and heading south.
Radev called the strike a flagrant breach of maritime law and said an attack inside Bulgaria’s zone was unacceptable. He did not say who launched the drones. AFP said it was the first such incident off Bulgaria, a NATO member, and came a day after another ship sank off Romania.
Why it matters
Black Sea shipping carries grain and other cargo from the region to world markets, and attacks reaching the waters of a NATO and EU member raise the risk for crews, insurers and food supply routes.
Sources
- BTA: Two Merchant Ships Attacked by Sea and Aerial Drones in Bulgaria’s Exclusive Economic Zone, Prime Minister Says
- BBC News: Sailors missing after fresh attacks on Black Sea vessels, Bulgaria says
- AFP: Bulgaria searches for missing crew after drones hit more Black Sea ships
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