Drones sink cargo ship, fire second vessel off Bulgaria's coast

Unidentified drones attacked two merchant ships in Bulgaria's Black Sea Exclusive Economic Zone on October 6, 2026, at approximately 3 a.m. local time, around 70 nautical miles east of the town of Byala. The Togo-flagged Alfa Watan suffered critical structural damage and sank; no crew members from this vessel were initially located, though Romanian authorities later reported two fatalities and 11 people rescued in connection with the incident. The Palau-flagged general cargo ship Able caught fire following the strike, prompting all 18 crew members to evacuate. The crew comprised 11 Turkish citizens and 7 Indian nationals, according to Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev. Two sailors sustained serious injuries—one with burns and one with a head injury—and were airlifted by naval vessel to Varna for emergency medical treatment; the remaining 16 crew members were unharmed.

The Bulgarian-flagged ro-ro/passenger ferry Dioscuria, which was in the vicinity, responded to distress signals and rescued the Able's crew after witnessing an explosion on the first ship. The ferry discovered only an overturned lifeboat and life jackets at the initial location, with no survivors from the Alfa Watan immediately found. Romanian Coast Guard vessels and aviation assets also participated in the ongoing search and rescue operation coordinated by Bulgaria's Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre. Bulgaria's Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov deployed two helicopters to Varna and ordered aerial reconnaissance by a Su-25 aircraft.

Prime Minister Radev convened an emergency government meeting with representatives from the Defence, Interior, Transport, and Environment ministries, as well as security services and the presidential office. Radev characterized the attack as "absolutely unacceptable" and stated Bulgaria would "do everything possible" to explore the area and rescue potential survivors. The origin and operator of the drones remained unestablished at the time of reporting. This incident marked the first reported drone attack on commercial shipping within Bulgaria's Exclusive Economic Zone. The Alfa Watan was headed for the Romanian port of Sulina, while the Able was carrying wheat and sailing southbound.