Search for crew from ship hit and sunk by drones in Black Sea

NATO member Bulgaria is searching for the crew of a cargo ship after drones hit two civilian vessels in the Black Sea.

Prime Minister Rumen Radev said two commercial vessels were struck by drones on Tuesday in the first attack on shipping in the country’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea, reports The Associated Press.

“This is an unacceptable attack in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone. It is a blatant violation of international law and maritime law,” Radev said.

It remains unclear who was behind the strike by air and sea drones about 100km off eastern Bulgaria, but there are concerns about hybrid attacks spiling over from the Russia-Ukraine war.

The Togo-flagged Alfa Watan suffered critical structural damage and sank at the scene. There was no immediate word on the crew’s fate, he said.

The second vessel, the Palau-flagged Able, caught fire after the attack. A Bulgarian ferry evacuated all 18 crew members. Two sailors suffered severe injuries and were flown to a hospital in the port city of Varna, Radev said.

According to the available information, the Able was carrying wheat and sailing south, while the Alfa Watan was heading north. The Alfa Watan’s cargo was unknown, Radev said, adding that authorities were monitoring for possible oil spills and other environmental pollution.

“What is happening is seriously disrupting shipping in the Black Sea, driving up insurance costs even further and making shipping extremely difficult,” Radev said.

He warned that the war was expanding geographically and increasing the risk of global conflict.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described that attack as “a horrific strike by two Russian drones on a civilian vessel” in neutral waters.

Meanwhile, a nighttime Russian attack on the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia wounded five people and a daylight strike on a warehouse in the city caused a large fire.