Crew missing after drone attacks on two ships in the Black Sea near Bulgaria

Bulgaria says two commercial vessels were hit by drones in the Black Sea on Tuesday, in what officials described as the first attack on shipping inside the country’s exclusive economic zone. The strikes happened about 128 kilometres off the coast near Byala, according to Prime Minister Rumen Radev. One Togoflagged ship, Alfa Watan, was critically damaged and sank at the scene. Officials said they did not yet know the fate of its crew. A second vessel, the Palauflagged Able, caught fire after the attack, and a Bulgarian ferry evacuated all 18 people on board. Two sailors were seriously injured and taken to hospital in Varna. Bulgarian authorities said the origin of the drones was not immediately clear, and they are monitoring for possible environmental damage such as oil spills. Radev said the incident is worsening risks to shipping in the Black Sea and driving up insurance costs, while European leaders condemned attacks on civilian vessels.