Ship Sinks, Crew Missing After Drone Attacks in Black Sea
Bulgarian officials report one vessel sunk and another hit within the country's economic zone amid escalating Russia-Ukraine conflict.
One merchant ship has sunk and its crew is missing following drone attacks in the Black Sea, Bulgarian officials announced. A second vessel, carrying grain, was also struck within Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, according to Prime Minister Rumen Radev. The crew of 18 from the second ship were rescued.
Radev stated that air and sea drones were involved in the incidents, which occurred approximately 70 miles off the coast of Byala. The sunken ship was flying under the flag of Togo, Radev said. A nearby Bulgarian vessel arrived to find only rafts and life jackets, with the number of crew aboard the sunken ship unknown. A search operation has been initiated.
The rescued crew from the second vessel, comprising eleven Turkish and seven Indian nationals, included two injured individuals who were treated following a fire on board. Radev condemned the attacks as a "flagrant violation of maritime law" and declared such actions within Bulgaria's economic zone "absolutely unacceptable."
These attacks come as Russia intensifies strikes in the Black Sea region as part of its ongoing war against Ukraine. Moscow has not yet commented on the latest incident. This follows accusations from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Russia struck a civilian vessel carrying corn the previous day. Separately, an attack near Odesa on Tuesday resulted in one crew member killed and seven injured, with the ship reportedly flying the flag of the Marshall Islands.
On Sunday, Russia's defense ministry indicated it would increase its strikes across Ukraine in response to Zelensky's earlier remarks about Kyiv's intention to ramp up attacks on Russian oil refineries. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.