Wire flash
Drone attack sinks one cargo ship, sets second ablaze off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Source reporting is collected, normalized, translated or condensed automatically when needed.
- Automatically published source-backed update
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.
Source report
Freighter in the Black Sea (archive). Source: picture alliance / Hans Lucas / POOL UNION EUROPEENNE / AGENCE HANS LUCAS
Two commercial vessels have been severely damaged in a drone attack in the Black Sea off the coast of Bulgaria. At least one ship has sunk, and its crew is reported missing. A fire has broken out on the second vessel.
Key Details
- First vessel: Sunk. Sailed under the flag of Togo. Identified by Bulgarian news portal Novinite as the freighter Alfa Watan.
- Second vessel: On fire. Sailed under the flag of Palau. Identified as the Able. Loaded with wheat.
- Crew of second vessel: All 18 crew members — 11 Turkish and 7 Indian nationals — evacuated safely by the Bulgarian ferry Dioscuria. Two sailors were injured: one with burns, another with a head injury. Both were taken to Varna for medical treatment.
- Crew of sunken vessel: Missing. Search teams found only a capsized boat, several overturned life rafts, and life jackets.
Official Response
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev confirmed that two commercial ships were struck by drones in the country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which belongs to a NATO member state. The government has convened a crisis meeting.
Rumen Nikolow, head of the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Varna, stated on public radio BNR that the crew of the sunken ship is considered missing.
Investigation
The origin of the attack remains unclear. Bulgarian authorities said they are investigating the source of the drones used.
According to Bulgarian specialist portal Maritime.bg, the Togo-flagged vessel suffered severe damage from an explosion before sinking.
Broader Context
The incident occurred one day after a drone attack on a Turkish freighter off the coast of Romania, which killed two crew members. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blamed two Russian drones for that attack. The vessel reportedly carried Azerbaijani and Indian nationals.
Since the start of the Ukraine war, the Black Sea has been a recurring site of drone attacks and other military incidents. According to the Turkish Chamber of Shipping, 226 civilian and commercial ships have been attacked in the Black Sea since the war began, the majority in 2026. These attacks have significantly worsened security on one of the region's most important trade routes and driven up insurance premiums for shipping companies.
Sources: AFP, AP, kami
Source
Nachrichten - WELTWestern
Part of this Story
Drone Attack Sinks Ship Off Bulgaria as PM Summons Russian Ambassador