Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev disclosed that two commercial ships were targeted by drones on Tuesday in the Black Sea within Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone, marking the first such incident in the region for the NATO member. Radev condemned the attack as a breach of international maritime laws during a press briefing following an emergency governmental meeting.
The assault, carried out by sea and aerial drones at approximately 3 a.m. local time, occurred about 128 kilometers off Bulgaria’s coast near Byala. The Togo-flagged vessel, Alfa Watan, sustained severe structural damage and sank on the spot. The fate of the crew remains uncertain. The second ship, the Palau-flagged Able, caught fire post-attack. All 18 crew members were safely evacuated by a Bulgarian ferry. Two sailors sustained serious injuries and were airlifted to Varna’s port city hospital.
The source of the drones remains unidentified. The Able was transporting wheat southward, while the Alfa Watan was sailing northward. Radev mentioned that the cargo on the Alfa Watan was unspecified, and authorities are vigilant for potential environmental hazards such as oil spills.
Radev stressed the obligation to conduct emergency search and rescue operations within Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone, emphasizing the disruptive impact on Black Sea shipping and the subsequent rise in insurance costs, making navigation exceedingly challenging. He also warned about the expanding geographical scope of the conflict and the escalating risk of broader global conflicts.
NATO refrained from commenting on the incident and redirected all queries regarding the drone attacks to Bulgarian authorities. Radev’s statements come in the wake of a recent drone attack on a Turkish-owned cargo ship carrying corn that resulted in casualties off Romania’s coast in the Black Sea. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the attack on the civilian vessel in neutral waters as “horrific,” while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen criticized the targeting of commercial ships and innocent crews, emphasizing the loss of lives at sea as unacceptable.
The Russian Defence Ministry reported strikes on targets in Ukraine’s Odesa region, including an ammunition depot, a bulk carrier in the Chornomorsk port, and infrastructure in Izmail. The ministry also claimed interception of nearly 900 Ukrainian drones over various regions, including the Crimean Peninsula and the Sea of Azov. Ukraine’s development of long-range drones and missiles has enabled counterattacks on Russian territory since the conflict began over four and a half years ago.