Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev reported that two commercial vessels were attacked by drones on Tuesday, marking the first such incident in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea. “The attack within Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone is absolutely unacceptable. It constitutes a serious breach of maritime and international law and will further jeopardise safe navigation in the Black Sea,” he stated.
The attacks occurred around 3 a.m., about 128 kilometres offshore. The Togo-flagged Alpha Watan sank after sustaining critical damage, while the Palau-flagged Able caught fire, but a Bulgarian ferry evacuated it. Two crew members from the Able suffered serious injuries and were airlifted to a hospital in Varna. The drones’ origins remain unknown.
The Able was carrying wheat and sailing south, while the Alpha Watan’s cargo remains unconfirmed. Authorities are monitoring for potential environmental pollution.
Radev warned that the ongoing conflict is disrupting shipping in the Black Sea, increasing insurance costs and making maritime operations difficult. This incident follows a previous drone attack on a Turkish-owned vessel that resulted in two deaths.
“I have long warned that unless this war is brought to an end in time, it will continue to expand geographically, intensify and increase the risk of an even wider conflict, potentially on a global scale,” stated Radev.
NATO has not commented and has referred inquiries to Bulgarian authorities. Last month, US Gen. Alex Grynkewich urged NATO members to identify those responsible for drone incidents once sufficient evidence is available. The German government took nearly a month to blame Russia for an attempted drone attack involving explosives.
This article used information from The Associated Press.
