Black Sea drone strike sinks cargo ship, crew missing.
A civilian cargo vessel, the Alfa Watan, was struck by drones 70 km off Bulgaria’s coast and sank, leaving the crew unaccounted for. The ship, registered in Togo and owned by a Turkish company, was en route to Sulina, Romania, but its cargo and exact number of crew remain unknown.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev confirmed that a second ship, the Able—flagged in Palau and carrying grain—was also hit nearby. Eight crew members were rescued, with two suffering injuries from a subsequent fire aboard. The Able’s crew comprised 11 Turkish and seven Indian nationals.
Radev, who did not publicly blame Russia, called the strikes a “flag‑rant violation of maritime law” and warned of the escalating war in Ukraine spreading further maritime risks. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed this condemnation, saying the situation in the Black Sea was “increasingly concerning” and that “commercial ships – and innocent crews – are being targeted.”
The attacks come amid reports that Russia has intensified its drone and missile campaign in the Black Sea following President Zelensky’s statements urging increased pressure on Russian oil refineries. Earlier this week, a separate drone strike near Odesa resulted in a crew member’s death and injuries to seven others.
Search and rescue teams remain on high alert around the Bulgarian exclusive economic zone, the global maritime community watches closely, and international maritime authorities urge naval vessels to exercise heightened vigilance in the region.
