In brief
Bulgarian officials reported that the Turkish‑owned cargo ship Alfa Watan, flying the flag of Togo, sank after a drone attack in the Black Sea, leaving all crew missing. A second vessel, the Palau‑flagged grain ship Able, sustained minor damage and its 18 crew, many of whom were injured, were rescued by Bulgarian sailors. The Bulgarian Prime Minister called the incident a flagrant violation of maritime law and warned that the ongoing war in Ukraine could expand its reach, citing the increased risk of a global conflict. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the attacks, saying commercial ships and their crews were being targeted.
Bulgarian officials said a civilian cargo vessel, the Alfa Watan, sank in the Black Sea after a drone attack, leaving all crew unaccounted for.
A second ship, the Palau‑flagged grain carrier Able, was also hit 70 miles off the coast of Byala. Its 18‑person crew, including two injured in a fire, were rescued by Bulgarian sailors. Eleven crew members were Turkish, seven Indian.
Prime Minister Rumen Radev said air and sea drones were involved at about 03:00 local time. He described the incident as a “flagrant violation of maritime law” and specifically criticized such actions within Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone.
Russia has been intensifying strikes in the Black Sea as part of its war against Ukraine, though Moscow has not commented on this particular attack. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously accused Russia of striking a civilian vessel carrying corn. The European Commission’s Ursula von der Leyen condemned the attacks, noting that commercial ships and innocent crews are being targeted.
A map of the incident region shows the last known position of the Alfa Watan between the Romanian and Bulgarian coasts, southeast of Byala and south of Sulina. The Bulgarian exclusive economic zone covers roughly 29,000 square kilometres, about six per cent of the Black Sea.
