A cargo ship sank and a fire broke out on a second vessel following drone strikes roughly 130 kilometers off the coast of Bulgaria in the Black Sea, according to the sources. The attacks occurred around 03:00 local time within Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone, leaving the crew of the sunken vessel missing as rescue operations unfolded.
Vessels Struck in Bulgaria’s Exclusive Economic Zone
The sunken cargo ship, named the Alfa Watan, was sailing under the flag of Togo, according to the sources. A second vessel, the Able, caught fire during the incident and sailed under the flag of Palau. Eighteen crew members from the burning ship were rescued, with several transported to a hospital in Varna on Bulgaria’s east coast. Local media outlets reported that one crew member suffered severe burns, another sustained a head injury, and several others experienced minor injuries.
Bulgarian Leaders Convene Emergency Meeting Following Unidentified Strikes
Bulgarian Prime Minister Dimitar Radev convened an emergency meeting with relevant ministries and security services following the strikes. Bulgarian President Iotova confirmed the incidents in an official statement, while the Ministry of Transport announced that a formal briefing would follow. Authorities have not yet determined whether the assault involved aerial drones or sea drones, nor has any group claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Prior Incidents Across Black Sea Shipping Lanes
The strikes occurred just one day after a fatal fire on a vessel outside Romania’s territorial waters in the Black Sea. The cargo ship Royad Mammadov sank after a fire was reported to the maritime rescue coordination center MRCC Constanța. The Roemeense grenspolitie confirmed that two crew members were found dead and eleven others were rescued. That vessel, sailing under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis with a Turkish owner, was transporting grain from Izmail to Ravenna, Italy. While Romanian media outlets suggested a drone may have hit the vessel near the Pescăruș offshore platform, official statements from maritime authorities and the border police attributed the loss strictly to the fire.
Questions About Black Sea Maritime Security
How far offshore did the drone attacks occur?
The strikes on the Alfa Watan and the Able took place approximately 130 kilometers from the Bulgarian coast inside the country’s exclusive economic zone, according to the sources. Both ships issued a distress signal around 03:00 to 04:00 local time.
What was the fate of the crews involved?
The entire crew of the Togolese-flagged Alfa Watan is currently missing, according to statements from Prime Minister Radev. Conversely, all eighteen crew members aboard the Palause-flagged Able were successfully rescued and brought ashore for medical evaluation in Varna.
Did the incidents involve grain transport vessels?
Multiple European nations along the Black Sea have faced security disruptions, including maritime mines and airspace violations, since the outbreak of the war between Ukraine and Russia four years ago.