Drone Attacks Sink Commercial Ship in Bulgaria's Economic Zone
Bulgarian authorities and NATO allies investigate drone attacks on two commercial vessels in the Black Sea that left one ship sunken and its crew missing.
Sea and air drones attacked two Turkish-owned commercial vessels on October 6 within the exclusive economic zone of Bulgaria. The Alfa Watan, a Togolese-flagged cargo ship, sank following an onboard explosion; rescuers have found only life jackets and an overturned boat, and the crew remains missing. The second vessel, the Able, a Palau-flagged grain carrier, caught fire but its 18 crew members were rescued, including two who suffered serious head and burn injuries.
Prime Minister Roumen Radev convened an emergency meeting with security officials and informed the EU Council and NATO. While Radev stated the perpetrators were likely either Russian or Ukrainian, he determined that activating NATO Articles 4 or 5 was unnecessary because the attacks occurred in neutral waters approximately 130 kilometers from the coast. One rescued sailor from the Able claimed Russia used an underwater depth charge to cause the fire.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the targeting of innocent crews as unacceptable, noting the situation in the Black Sea is increasingly concerning. In response to the security breach, President Iliana Yotova scheduled a Consultative Council on National Security meeting for October 7 to address risks to maritime security and critical infrastructure. Additionally, the Bulgarian Environment Ministry launched water sampling inspections near Cape Kaliakra, Byala, and Sozopol to monitor for pollution.
