Bulgaria launched a search-and-rescue operation on Tuesday after drone attacks struck two commercial ships in its Black Sea exclusive economic zone, sinking one vessel and leaving its crew unaccounted for.
Bulgarian authorities said the attacks involved aerial and maritime drones and occurred overnight east of the coastal town of Byala. One ship sank, while a fire broke out aboard the second vessel, forcing its crew to evacuate.
The vessels were identified as the Togo-flagged Alfa Watan and the Palau-flagged Able. Bulgarian National Television reported that all 18 crew members aboard the Able were rescued. Two suffered serious injuries, including burns and a head injury, and were being taken to medical facilities in Varna. No crew members from the Alfa Watan had been located at the time of the report.
The Bulgarian passenger and cargo vessel Dioscuria, which was nearby, responded after its crew witnessed an explosion. Rescuers found an overturned boat, life rafts and life jackets near the sunken ship, but initially found no survivors, according to a government statement.
Prime Minister Rumen Radev convened an emergency meeting with officials and condemned the attacks as a serious violation of international and maritime law. He warned that attacks on civilian vessels were increasing the dangers facing Black Sea shipping, alongside transport costs and insurance risks.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also condemned the incidents, describing attacks on civilian shipping as unacceptable. She said commercial vessels and their crews were increasingly becoming targets and expressed concern about deteriorating security in the Black Sea. The circumstances remained under investigation, she added.
Bulgarian authorities had not established who launched the drones. Investigators were working to determine responsibility while rescue teams continued searching for the missing sailors.
