A civilian cargo ship has sunk and its crew is missing following a drone attack in the Black Sea, as reported by Bulgarian officials. The incident occurred around 03:00 local time (23:00 GMT), approximately 70 miles (112 km) off the coastal town of Byala in eastern Bulgaria. A second vessel, carrying grain, was also struck within Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, with its 18 crew members successfully rescued.
Details of the Incident
Prime Minister Rumen Radev confirmed that the sunken ship, named Alfa Watan, was a Turkish-owned general cargo ship flying under the flag of Togo. It was reportedly en route to Sulina, Romania. The contents of the Alfa Watan and the number of individuals on board remain unclear. A nearby Bulgarian vessel responded to the scene but found only an overturned boat, life jackets, and rafts.
Rescue Operations
Bulgarian sailors managed to rescue the crew members from the second ship, identified as the Able, which was flying the flag of Palau. Among the rescued were two individuals injured in a fire on board. The crew comprised 11 Turkish and 7 Indian nationals. The Able was transporting grain and was last reported to be five nautical miles (9 km) from the Alfa Watan.
