Bulgaria says drone attack in Black Sea zone sinks cargo ship

Two commercial vessels were hit by sea and aerial drones in Bulgaria's Black Sea economic zone. Sofia called it an unacceptable breach of maritime law and warned of wider regional risk.

In Short

• Attack struck around 3 am, roughly 128 kilometres off Bulgaria's coast
• Palau-flagged Able caught fire, and all 18 crew were evacuated safely
• Two severely injured sailors were airlifted to a hospital in Varna

Bulgaria said on Tuesday that two commercial vessels were hit by sea and aerial drones in the first attack on shipping in the NATO member's exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea. Rumen Radev called it "an unacceptable attack" and "a blatant violation of international law and maritime law".

Speaking after an emergency government meeting, Radev said the attack took place at around 3 am, about 128 kilometres off Bulgaria's coast. One ship sank after suffering critical structural damage, while the other caught fire and its crew was evacuated. The origin of the drones was not immediately established.

Radev said the Togo-flagged Alfa Watan suffered critical structural damage and sank at the scene. There was no immediate word on the fate of its crew. The second vessel, the Palau-flagged Able, caught fire after the attack. A Bulgarian ferry evacuated all 18 crew members from the Able, and two sailors with severe injuries were flown to a hospital in the port city of Varna, he said.

According to the available information, the Able was carrying wheat and was sailing south, while the Alfa Watan was heading north. The cargo on the Alfa Watan was not known, Radev said. He added that authorities were monitoring the area for possible oil spills and other environmental pollution.

"As a state responsible within our exclusive economic zone for the health and lives of anyone navigating in this area, regardless of who is responsible, we are obliged to conduct emergency search and rescue operations," he said. Radev added, "What is happening is seriously disrupting shipping in the Black Sea, driving up insurance costs even further and making shipping extremely difficult." He also warned that the war was expanding geographically and increasing the risk of global conflict.

The attacks came a day after a Turkish-owned cargo ship carrying corn caught fire following a drone strike and later sank in the Black Sea, according to Romanian authorities. Two people died and 11 crew members were rescued. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described that attack as "a horrific strike by two Russian drones on a civilian vessel" in neutral waters.

NATO declined to comment and referred all questions on the drone attacks to Bulgarian authorities. Last month, the alliance's top commander, US General Alex Grynkewich, urged member countries to publicly identify those they believe are responsible for drone incidents or acts of sabotage once enough evidence has been gathered. The German government, meanwhile, took almost a month to publicly blame Russia for an attempted August 4 attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport involving a drone carrying explosives.

In sum, Bulgaria said two commercial ships were attacked by drones in its exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea, leaving one vessel sunk, another damaged and crew members injured, while authorities carried out rescue work and monitored the area for pollution.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends