Bulgarian PM says drone attack on commercial vessels is ‘blatant violation of international law’

Stay connected to Greek City Times for Free on Google News
Click NOW

Two commercial vessels were struck by drones in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea early Tuesday, with one ship sinking and two sailors seriously injured.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said the attacks happened at around 3 a.m., approximately 80 miles (128 kilometres) off Bulgaria’s coast.

“This is an unacceptable attack in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone. It is a blatant violation of international law and maritime law,” Radev said after an emergency government meeting.

The Togo flagged Alfa Watan suffered critical structural damage and sank at the scene. Authorities had no immediate information about the fate of its crew.

The second vessel, the Palau flagged Able, caught fire following the attack.

A Bulgarian ferry reached the ship and evacuated all 18 crew members. Two sailors suffered severe injuries and were flown to a hospital in Varna.

Bulgarian authorities have not established who launched the drones.

According to the information available, the Able was carrying wheat and travelling south, while the Alfa Watan was heading north. The cargo aboard the sunken vessel was not immediately known.

Authorities are also monitoring the area for possible oil spills or other environmental pollution.

Radev said Bulgaria was obliged to launch search and rescue operations because the attacks occurred inside the country’s exclusive economic zone, regardless of who was responsible.

The incident marks a major escalation for commercial shipping in the Black Sea, with the Bulgarian government warning that attacks are disrupting maritime traffic and increasing already elevated insurance costs.

“What is happening is seriously disrupting shipping in the Black Sea, driving up insurance costs even further and making shipping extremely difficult,” Radev said.

The attack comes amid heightened tensions across the Black Sea, where commercial vessels have increasingly faced the risk of drone and missile attacks linked to the wider war involving Russia and Ukraine.

Stay updated with the latest news from Greece and around the world on greekcitytimes.com.
Contact our newsroom to share your updates, stories, photos, or videos. Follow GCT on Google News and Apple News.