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Two Commercial Vessels Struck by Drones Off Bulgaria in First Reported Attack of Its Kind
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Two commercial vessels were hit by drones in Bulgaria’s Exclusive Economic Zone in the Black Sea, killing at least two people and triggering a major search and rescue operation, Novinite reported on October 6, citing Bulgarian and Romanian authorities.
The strikes occurred around 80 miles off the Bulgarian coast, east of Cape St. Atanas and the town of Byala. Reports cited by Novinite described the incident as the first known drone attack against ships within Bulgaria’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
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The vessels were identified as the Togo-flagged general cargo ship ALFA WATAN and the Palau-flagged ABLE.
The ALFA WATAN sustained severe structural damage and later sank off Bulgaria’s eastern coast. Initial reports did not provide details on the condition of its crew, but Romania’s Ministry of Internal Affairs subsequently reported two deaths and the rescue of 11 people in connection with the incident, according to Novinite.
The second vessel, ABLE, caught fire after being struck, prompting all 18 crew members to evacuate the ship. They were taken aboard the Bulgarian-flagged ro-ro passenger ferry DIOSCURIA, which had been redirected to the area to assist with the rescue effort.
Some of the rescued crew members were injured and received first aid aboard the DIOSCURIA. Bulgarian rescue services are coordinating efforts to transfer those requiring further treatment to medical facilities on shore.
Romanian authorities are also involved in the operation, deploying Coast Guard vessels and a helicopter from the General Inspectorate of Aviation. The Romanian Interior Ministry said injured survivors had been transported for emergency medical care, the outlet reported.
The circumstances surrounding the strikes remain under investigation, including the origin and ownership of the drones involved.
The incident follows another deadly drone strike on civilian shipping in the Black Sea a day earlier. Two people were killed after two Russian drones struck a civilian cargo vessel near Romania’s coast.
Romania’s Interior Ministry later reported that 11 crew members were rescued after the vessel caught fire approximately 30 nautical miles south of Sfântu Gheorghe.
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