Two commercial vessels were attacked by sea and aerial drones in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea early Tuesday, triggering a large-scale search-and-rescue operation.
The attack took place at around 3 a.m., about 70 nautical miles east of the coastal town of Byala, according to Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Two commercial vessels were struck by sea and aerial drones.
The incident occurred in Bulgaria’s Black Sea exclusive economic zone.
The attack took place at about 3 a.m. on October 6.
The Togo-flagged ALFA WATAN sank after suffering critical structural damage.
The crew of ALFA WATAN remained unaccounted for during the initial search.
The Palau-flagged ABLE caught fire.
The Togo-flagged ALFA WATAN suffered critical structural damage and sank. Bulgarian authorities said there was no immediate information about the fate of its crew, and search operations were launched for possible survivors.
The second vessel, the Palau-flagged ABLE, caught fire following the attack. All 18 crew members were evacuated and taken to Varna. Bulgarian authorities said 11 of the crew were Turkish nationals and seven were Indian nationals. Two sailors suffered serious injuries.
Prime Minister Radev condemned the attack and described it as a violation of international and maritime law. Bulgarian authorities also began assessing possible environmental risks from the sunken vessel.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
The incident raises concerns about the safety of civilian shipping in the western Black Sea. Commercial vessels operating in or near areas affected by the Russia-Ukraine war face increased security and operational risks.
The responsibility for the attack has not been independently established. Bulgarian Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said the country could not confirm whether the drones were Russian or Ukrainian without recovering relevant wreckage or receiving a claim of responsibility.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, blamed Russia for the attack, saying Ukrainian and Bulgarian authorities had determined that Russian sea and aerial drones were involved. That claim had not been independently confirmed by Bulgarian authorities at the time of reporting.
