Bulgaria ends search after Black Sea cargo ship drone attack

Bulgaria ended a search on 7 October for 10 sailors missing after the Turkish-owned, Togolese-flagged cargo ship Alfa Watan sank following a drone attack in the Black Sea, while Ukraine has accused Russia of separately striking a Turkish-owned grain vessel in Romanian waters days earlier.¹²⁴

Search ends for Alfa Watan crew

Bulgarian authorities called off the operation after finding no trace of the Alfa Watan crew, according to Euronews. Searchers recovered three life rafts and an overturned lifeboat. The vessel was reported to have sunk after attacks involving sea and aerial drones in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone, about 70 nautical miles east of the coastal town of Byala.²⁴

The Alfa Watan was a Turkish-owned general cargo ship flying the flag of Togo, according to the BBC and Euronews. Tracking information cited by the BBC showed that it had entered the Black Sea heading north, and the ship was reportedly bound for Sulina in Romania. Its last reported position was in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone; the cargo was not known, Euronews reported.²⁴

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said an attack in the country’s exclusive economic zone was “absolutely unacceptable.” Bulgaria deployed two helicopters and a Su-25 aircraft for rescue and reconnaissance, according to Euronews.²⁴

Second vessel damaged

A second Turkish-owned vessel, the Able, was hit in the same area, according to the BBC and Euronews. The 18 crew members, including 11 Turkish and seven Indian nationals, were rescued and taken to Varna. Two were hospitalised, one with burns and another with a head injury, Euronews reported.²⁴

The Able was carrying grain, the BBC reported, while Euronews described its cargo as wheat. Euronews reported that a sea drone hit the vessel's stern, flooding its engine room; the fire was still burning and the ship was thought likely to go down. The BBC reported that the Able’s last known position was five nautical miles from the Alfa Watan.²⁴

Ukraine alleges Russian strike in Romanian waters

Ukraine said Russia had carried out a separate drone attack on a Turkish-owned civilian vessel carrying corn in Romania’s exclusive economic zone, 30 nautical miles south of Sfantul Gheorghe. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said two Russian drones struck the ship. Romanian authorities said two people died and 11 were rescued; Zelenskyy said the captain was among those killed.¹³

The ship caught fire and subsequently sank, according to Deutsche Welle and Al Jazeera. Azerbaijani and Indian citizens were aboard, according to those reports. Romania’s Interior Ministry said: “Eleven crew members have been rescued. Two deceased individuals have also been located.”¹³

The incidents follow other drone- and mine-related security events in the Black Sea region. Romania reported intercepting three drones within one week in July, while its naval forces destroyed nine drifting sea mines on 5 October, according to Al Jazeera.³