Drone Attack Sinks Ship Off Bulgaria as PM Summons Russian Ambassador
Drone attacks struck two merchant ships off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, sinking one vessel 17 nautical miles east of Krapets with one crew member rescued, while the Ukrainian-owned Maltese-flagged Chelsea 3 was hit by three drones near Byala, with all 15 crew rescued and five suffering minor injuries. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev summoned Russia's ambassador, saying the logic suggests the outcome benefits Russia, though no conclusive evidence exists. The attacks follow similar strikes a week earlier that sank the Alfa Watan, with all 10 crew presumed dead. Ukraine blamed Russia directly, while the EU called the Black Sea "another front of escalation."
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Ship sinks in drone attack off Bulgaria as PM summons Russian ambassador
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said two merchant ships were hit by drones off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast on Tuesday, with one sinking 17 nautical miles east of Krapets and one crew member rescued. The other, a Ukrainian-owned Maltese-flagged vessel identified as the Chelsea 3, was struck by three drones near Byala; all 15 crew were rescued and five suffered minor injuries. Radev summoned Russia's ambassador, saying that although there is no conclusive evidence, "the logic suggests that the outcome benefits the Russian Federation." The attacks follow similar strikes a week earlier in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone that sank the Alfa Watan, with all 10 crew presumed dead. Ukraine blamed Russia directly, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the Black Sea "another front of escalation." Russia has not commented publicly.
Drone strike sinks ship in NATO waters as Zelenskyy warns of looming 'massive strike'
A drone strike has sunk a ship in NATO waters in the Black Sea, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warning of a looming 'massive strike' by Russia. The attack, which targeted Bulgarian vessels off Bulgaria's coast, has resulted in missing crew members. The European Union has condemned the attacks as 'unacceptable'. Multiple news outlets, including Fox News, The Guardian, The New York Times, BBC, and Ars Technica, are reporting on the incident. Zelenskyy has blamed Russia for the attack, and an investigation has been launched. The incident marks a significant escalation in the conflict, occurring near NATO member states.
Read sourceDrone attack hits two commercial vessels off Bulgaria; Ukraine blames Russia
Bulgaria's leader reported that a drone attack struck two commercial vessels in the Black Sea, with one ship sinking and crew members missing. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blamed Russia for the attack, warning of a looming 'massive strike.' The incident occurred in NATO waters or economic zones, according to multiple reports. Search operations are underway for the missing crew. The attack escalates tensions in the region, with implications for maritime security and NATO member states.
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Drone attack sinks one cargo ship, sets second ablaze off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast
On October 6, 2026, two cargo ships were hit by drone attacks in the Black Sea off the coast of Bulgaria, according to reports from Bulgarian maritime portal Maritime.bg and President Rumen Radew. The first vessel, the Togo-flagged 'Alfa Watan', sank after an explosion, and its crew is missing. The second ship, the Palau-flagged 'Able', carrying wheat, caught fire; its 18 crew members (11 Turkish and 7 Indian nationals) were rescued by a Bulgarian ferry, with two injured. Bulgarian authorities have convened a crisis meeting and are investigating the drones' origin. The attack follows a similar drone strike on a Turkish freighter off Romania the previous day, which killed two crew members and was attributed by Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to Russian drones. The incidents highlight escalating security risks for commercial shipping in the Black Sea amid the Ukraine war, with 226 civilian vessels attacked since the conflict began.
Bulgarian PM says drone attack on two ships is 'flagrant' breach of maritime law
A drone attack on two ships in the Black Sea has been condemned by the Bulgarian Prime Minister as a 'flagrant' breach of maritime law. The incident, which occurred near NATO waters, resulted in a ship sinking and crew members missing. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy blamed Russia for the attack and warned of a looming 'massive strike'. The European Union described the attacks as 'unacceptable'. An investigation has been launched into the incident, which has heightened tensions in the region.
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