What happened
A cargo ship sank in the Black Sea after being attacked by drones. The ship, named Alfa Watan, was flying the flag of Togo and was located roughly 70 nautical miles east of the Bulgarian coastal town of Byala. The attack occurred within Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, which is part of the maritime economic zone of a NATO member state.
The vessel suffered significant damage and sank, but rescuers were unable to find any members of the crew. An overturned lifeboat, life rafts, and life jackets were found in the debris field. Bulgaria has halted search and rescue efforts, and the fate of the crew remains unknown.
A second commercial vessel, the Able, was also attacked and caught fire while carrying grain. The ship was flying the flag of Palau, and all 18 crew members were rescued by a Bulgarian vessel. Two crew members suffered serious injuries and were airlifted to a medical facility.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of carrying out the attack, stating that it was a combined attack using maritime and aerial drones. The Russian Embassy in Bulgaria has denied the allegations. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev has called the attack
