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Drones Sink Ship, Hit Another Off Bulgaria

2:18 PM ETConfirmed

World Desk

In Short: The ship was reportedly heading for Sulina, Romania, and was attacked by sea and aerial drones at about 3am local time (2am CET), around 70 nautical miles east of the town of Byala in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone.

Bulgarian authorities launched a major search on Tuesday for the missing crew of the Togolese-flagged Alfa Watan, which sank in the Black Sea after drones hit two vessels.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said the attack was an 'absolutely unacceptable' violation of international law, adding that no crew members had been found from the ship that sank.

A second ship, the Able, registered in Palau and carrying grain, was set on fire but its Turkish and Indian crew members were rescued.

Eighteen crew members were rescued from the Able, with two hospitalized, one suffering from burns and another from a head injury.

The incident comes amid growing concerns over hybrid attacks by Russia as it wages war in Ukraine.

Radev said the situation significantly complicates navigation in the Black Sea, drives up insurance premiums, and makes maritime traffic extremely difficult.

European leaders have condemned the attack, with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen calling the developments 'very concerning'.

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar said Budapest stands in full solidarity with Bulgaria after the attack on the two ships.

The attack on the Alfa Watan and Able marks the first such incident in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, raising fears over the expanding geographical scope of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Bulgaria's prime minister convened an emergency meeting of ministers to address the security implications of the attack.

Background

What's confirmed

• Bulgarian authorities launched a major search on Tuesday for the missing crew of a ship that sank in the Black Sea after drones hit two vessels in what the prime minister slammed as an "absolutely unacceptable" attack.
• The dual strike came a day after another ship caught fire and sank off the Romanian coast -- killing one and leaving one missing -- in what Ukraine said was a drone attack launched by Russia.
• The ship that sank was the Togolese-flagged Alfa Watan, according to the Maritime.bg specialised website.
• A Bulgarian ferry that witnessed the explosion and rushed to the scene discovered overturned life rafts and life jackets near the ship that sank, but no crew have been found, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev told reporters.
• "Such an attack within Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone is absolutely unacceptable," he said.
• Romania reported on Monday that a grain ship had caught fire and sank in the Black Sea.
• Ukraine denied targeting Bulgaria after Bulgaria's defence ministry said the drone was of a type "widely used by the Ukrainian military".
• The second ship, the Able, registered in Palau, was set on fire but its Turkish and Indian crew members have been rescued.
• Sea and aerial drones hit the ships at about 3am local time (2am CET), around 70 nautical miles east of the town of Byala in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said.

What's still developing

• The sunken ship was flying under the flag of Togo, he said.
• "Commercial ships – and innocent crews – are being targeted, with lives already lost at sea," she said.
• The ship was flying the flag of the Marshall Islands, according to Ukrainian media.
• Named the Alfa Watan, it was a Turkish-owned general cargo ship and was reportedly heading for Sulina, Romania.
• A Bulgarian ferry and a naval fast boat evacuated all 18 crew members.
• Ship tracking website vesselfinder.com shows the Alfa Watan was sailing under the flag of Togo and was headed for the Romanian port of Sulina.
• He did not know who carried out the attack, but said if the Russia-Ukraine war was "not brought to an end in time, it will continue to expand its geographical scope and increase the risk of even a global conflict".
• "While exact circumstances of these incidents are still being established, the developments are very concerning," European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen wrote.
• Ukranian officials are bracing for what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned would be a “massive” aerial attack by Russia.
• "This strengthens the security of NATO, Europe and Sweden," said Mr Kristersson.
• Russia's President Vladimir Putin said last week that Russia had "no intention of attacking anyone... but if we are subjected to aggression, we will have no choice but to respond".
• “In light of Russia’s recent attempts to undermine our support to Ukraine, I cannot overstate the importance of the Swedish contribution."

Sources

• ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporationlink
• Al Jazeeralink
• BBClink
• Euronewslink
• Gcaptainlink
• Internazionalelink
• Kyiv Postlink
• Kyivindependentlink
• Turkishminutelink
• Turkiyetodaylink
• Arabnewslink
• Newscordlink
• Winnipegsunlink
• AFPlink
• Devdiscourselink
• WarpBeat — background on Ukraine Blames Russian Drones for Ship Attack, Romania Reports Two Dead link
• Times Now World — video link