Cargo ship sinks and tanker burns after drone strikes in Bulgarian waters

A civilian cargo ship sank and a grain vessel was set on fire Tuesday following a coordinated air and sea drone attack in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone.

The Togo-flagged cargo ship Alfa Watan sank approximately 70 nautical miles off the Bulgarian coastal town of Byala, leaving its crew missing. According to the BBC, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev reported that search teams found only an overturned boat and life rafts upon arrival. A second vessel, the Palau-flagged grain ship Able, was also struck and set ablaze about five nautical miles from the first incident. All 18 crew members from the Able, including 11 Turkish and seven Indian nationals, were rescued by Bulgarian sailors, though two sustained injuries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attributed the strikes to Russia, stating on X that his Navy confirmed a combined attack using maritime and aerial drones. While Prime Minister Radev did not explicitly name Russia as the perpetrator, he condemned the incident as a "flagrant violation of maritime law" and warned that the war could expand its geographical reach. Fox News reported that drone expert Cameron Chell suggested the use of Geran-4 aerial drones and Maran surface vehicles, noting the precision required to sink a ship quickly indicates a hybrid strike.

Reuters reported that Russia claimed the crew of a tanker had been rescued after an attack caused a fire, though Moscow has not officially commented on the sinking reported by Bulgaria and Ukraine. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the targeting of commercial ships as "unacceptable," noting that the circumstances of the incident are still being established. The attacks occurred around 03:00 local time in an area of the Black Sea where Russia has recently intensified its military activity.

Background

The incident follows a claim by President Zelenskyy on the previous day that Russia had struck a civilian vessel carrying corn. Tensions have remained high in the Black Sea region as the conflict continues to impact international shipping lanes.