On October 6, two merchant vessels were attacked by drones in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Black Sea, resulting in one ship sinking and prompting a significant search and rescue operation. The Togo-flagged cargo ship ALFA WATAN and the Palau-flagged ABLE were involved in the incident, which occurred about 70 nautical miles east of Byala. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev confirmed that both aerial and maritime drones were used in the assault.
The ALFA WATAN sustained severe structural damage and ultimately sank, leaving its crew’s fate uncertain. Bulgarian authorities initiated a search and rescue mission to locate the missing crew members while also monitoring for environmental impacts from the sinking. The cargo details of the ALFA WATAN have not yet been revealed.
Meanwhile, the ABLE caught fire following the drone strike, but all 18 crew members were successfully evacuated by the Bulgarian ferry DIOSCURIA, which was redirected to assist. Two crew members suffered serious injuries and were transported to Varna for medical care. The ABLE was carrying grain and was en route south at the time of the attack.
In response to the incident, Radev condemned the assault on commercial shipping, labeling it a grave violation of international and maritime law. An emergency government meeting convened representatives from various ministries to evaluate the situation. As of now, the origin of the drones has not been determined, and no party has been held accountable for the attack, marking it as the first reported drone assault on commercial shipping in Bulgaria’s EEZ. This incident raises significant concerns regarding the safety of maritime operations in the Black Sea amid escalating regional tensions.
