Bulgaria’s Prime Minister, Rumen Radev, reported that two commercial ships were targeted by drones in an unprecedented attack within Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea. Radev condemned the assault as a violation of international maritime laws. The incident occurred at approximately 3 a.m. local time, around 128 kilometers off Bulgaria’s coastline. One vessel, the Togo-flagged Alfa Watan, sustained severe damage, resulting in its sinking. The fate of the crew remains unknown. The other ship, the Palau-flagged Able, caught fire but was successfully evacuated by a Bulgarian ferry, rescuing all 18 crew members. Two sailors sustained severe injuries and were airlifted to a hospital in Varna.
The origin of the drones remains unidentified. The Alfa Watan was heading north while the Able was carrying wheat and traveling south. Radev emphasized the need to safeguard the area, mentioning concerns about potential environmental hazards such as oil spills. The disruption caused by these attacks has heightened shipping challenges in the Black Sea, leading to increased insurance costs and operational difficulties.
Radev expressed alarm at the expanding conflict’s geographical reach and the escalating risk of a global confrontation. NATO refrained from commenting on the incident and directed inquiries to Bulgarian authorities. The recent drone assaults follow a previous attack on a Turkish-owned cargo ship carrying corn, which resulted in casualties and a sinking vessel off Romania’s coast. Ukrainian and European officials have condemned these attacks on civilian ships, emphasizing the loss of innocent lives at sea. In a separate development, the Russian Defense Ministry reported strikes on targets in Ukraine, including an ammunition depot and port infrastructure.
Russian forces have been targeting Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea, obstructing vital grain exports and escalating tensions in the region. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have intercepted numerous Ukrainian drones in various regions, underscoring the ongoing conflict between the two nations. Ukraine’s use of advanced drones and missiles has enabled them to strike back at Russian territory since the conflict’s onset.
The situation in the Black Sea remains volatile as international concerns grow over the escalating hostilities in the region.
