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Sailors missing after fresh attacks on Black Sea vessels, Bulgaria says
Confirmed
In Short: Two merchant ships were hit by drones in Bulgaria's Black Sea zone, with one sinking and its crew missing.
Two merchant ships were hit by drones in Bulgaria's Black Sea zone, with one sinking and its crew missing, Bulgarian officials said. The attack occurred around 3 a.m. local time, about 70 miles off the Bulgarian coast near the town of Byala.
Prime Minister Rumen Radev condemned the strikes as a violation of maritime law, saying they were 'absolutely unacceptable.' He did not specify who was behind the attacks, which come amid intensifying drone warfare in the Black Sea.
The Able, a ship carrying rapeseed oil, was hit and sank, with its crew remaining missing. The Alfa Watan, a Togo-flagged vessel, was also hit but its 18 crew members were rescued after abandoning the ship due to a fire.
Bulgarian authorities launched a major search operation for the missing crew of the sunken ship. The attack marks the first on ships in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone.
The incident follows a series of attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea, with the number of such attacks more than doubling in six months. The Black Sea has become increasingly dangerous for shipping due to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Ukraine denied targeting Bulgaria, with Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper stating that a Russian drone had struck a merchant vessel flying the Marshall Islands flag. The vessel was carrying rapeseed oil and was damaged in the strike.
European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen also called the attacks on civilian shipping in the Black Sea 'unacceptable,' highlighting the growing risk to shipping in the region.
Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar expressed solidarity with Bulgaria, emphasizing the broader implications of the attacks on shipping and maritime law.
The attacks have significantly complicated navigation in the Black Sea, driving up insurance premiums and making maritime traffic extremely difficult.
Bulgaria, a NATO member, has been grappling with political turmoil, having undergone seven national elections in four years before electing a pro-Russian government in 2026.
The incident underscores the expanding geographical scope of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the increasing risk of global conflict.
Bulgarian authorities are working to establish the exact circumstances of the attacks, with maritime risk firm Ambrey noting that the number of attacks on civilian vessels in the Black Sea has surged in recent months.
What this adds
The origin of the drones involved in the attacks has not yet been established.
The attack on the Bulgarian ships is the first to occur in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, marking a new phase in the conflict's impact on shipping.
The incident highlights the growing complexity and danger of the ongoing conflict in the Black Sea region.
What's confirmed
- The crew of the sunken vessel remained missing, while all 18 crew members aboard the second ship were rescued after abandoning the vessel following a fire, Bulgarian public broadcaster BNR reported, citing Rumen Nikolov, head of rescue operations in Varna.
- Oleh Kiper, head of Ukraine’s Odesa Regional Military Administration (OVA), said a Russian drone struck a commercial vessel carrying rapeseed oil in the Black Sea.
- Türkiye’s Chamber of Maritime Commerce (IMEAK) said last month that 226 civilian and commercial vessels had been attacked in the Black Sea since the war began in February 2022, with the vast majority of the incidents occurring this year.
- He did not specify how many people were missing.
- “Such an attack within Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone is absolutely unacceptable,” he said.
What's still developing
- "The crew of one ship is missing, while the sailors from the second vessel have been rescued," Rumen Nikolov, director of the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Varna, told Bulgarian public radio BNR.
- Both vessels are Turkish-owned, according to the Equasis merchant shipping database.
- Romania reported on Monday that a grain ship had caught fire and sank in the Black Sea.
- Two sailors suffered serious injuries and were flown to a hospital in the port city of Varna, Radev said.
- A Bulgarian ferry and a naval fast boat evacuated all 18 crew members.
- “While exact circumstances of these incidents are still being established, the developments are very concerning,” von der Leyen wrote online.