Europeupdated 25m ago2 min read
Drones Sink Alfa Watan and Set Able Ablaze Off Bulgaria, Radev Says
One cargo ship sank in Bulgaria's EEZ after a drone attack; crew missing. A second vessel was damaged; all 18 crew were rescued; attack deemed unacceptable.
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Bulgaria Black Sea Attack
Drones sank one merchant ship and damaged another in the Black Sea off the coast of Bulgaria, with Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev saying the attack came at about 3am (00:00 GMT) and occurred about 70 nautical miles (130km) off Bulgaria’s coast. Radev said the Togo-flagged Alfa Watan suffered critical structural damage and sank at the scene, while the Palau-flagged Able caught fire after the attack. A Bulgarian ferry and a naval fast boat evacuated all 18 crew members from the Able, and Radev said two sailors suffered serious injuries and were flown to a hospital in the port city of Varna.
Rumen Nikolov, head of local rescue operations in Varna, told the public radio BNR that rescue teams were scanning the area in search of the missing sailors about 150 kilometers east of the coastal town of Byala. The Office of President Iliana Iotova confirmed the attack in the NATO member country via an emailed statement, while the Government declined to comment and the identity of those responsible remained unknown.
Claims, Flags, and Injuries
Radev denounced the strike as “an unacceptable attack in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone” and “a blatant violation of international law and maritime law,” while he did not specify how many people were missing. Ursula von der Leyen described the attacks on civilian maritime traffic in the Black Sea as “unacceptable,” and she said the situation was “very troubling” while the precise circumstances had not yet been clarified. The Able was reportedly carrying wheat and sailing south, while the Alfa Watan was heading north, and Bulgarian authorities launched a major search for the missing crew.
The sunken ship was flying under the flag of Togo and was named the Alfa Watan, while the Able was flying the flag of Palau and its 18 crew were rescued. The origin of the drones was not immediately established, and Radev condemned the strikes as “a flagrant violation of maritime law.”
What Comes Next in Europe
Bulgarian authorities launched a major search operation after the Alfa Watan sank, and rescue teams were scanning the area in search of the missing sailors about 150 kilometers east of the coastal town of Byala. Prime Minister Rumen Radev convened a meeting with key ministries and security services to address the attack, and a statement was expected after the emergency response. Authorities were monitoring for possible oil spills and other signs of environmental pollution after the Alfa Watan’s cargo was described as unknown by Radev.
The drone attack came after two people died on a ship in the Black Sea outside Romania’s territorial waters, and Romania had reported a bulk carrier caught fire and sank near its coast with two crew members killed in an attack Ukraine attributed to Russia. Radev warned the war was expanding geographically and increasing the risk of global conflict, while Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar said Budapest “stands in full solidarity with Bulgaria” after the attack.