Dróntámadás ért két kereskedelmi hajót a Fekete-tengeren, Bulgária partjainál, az egyik hajó elsüllyedt, a mentési munkálatokban pedig helikoptereket és repülőgépet is bevetnek.
The incidents occurred on Tuesday as commercial vessels became targets in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. The attacks highlight the growing vulnerability of non-military vessels operating near strategic European waters.
Black Sea Grain Corridors Face Direct Drone Strikes
In Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone, the Togo-flagged cargo ship Alfa Watan suffered catastrophic structural damage and sank immediately following a drone strike, leaving its crew missing. Meanwhile, a second vessel, the Palau-flagged Able, caught fire after a similar impact.
A Bulgarian vessel rescued the 18-person crew of the Able, which included eleven Turkish and seven Indian nationals, transporting two severely injured sailors to a hospital in Varna. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev condemned the attacks as a blatant violation of maritime law occurring directly within the country’s exclusive economic zone, warning that the region is witnessing a dangerous escalation of the war.
“A háború eszkalációjának vagyunk tanúi.”
Radev declared, pointing out that these strikes introduce severe economic hurdles, particularly soaring insurance premiums for regional maritime trade. Bulgarian Vice President Ilijana Jotova also confirmed the occurrence of the attack within the nation’s exclusive economic zone without providing further details, while Prime Minister Radev specified that the strike took place roughly 112 kilometers from the Bulgarian port city of Bjala.
The vessel, which had departed from Izmail carrying corn bound for Ravenna, caught fire and eventually sank. The Romanian border guard successfully rescued eleven crew members, but two fatalities were confirmed, including the ship’s captain. Romanian authorities were notified around 11 a.m. by the coast guard that a fire had broken out on a commercial vessel roughly 30 nautical miles—approximately 56 kilometers—from the Danube Delta locality of Sfântu Gheorghe. The Saint Kitts and Nevis-flagged vessel Royad Mammadov ultimately sank after the incident, with the Romanian interior ministry coordinating the rescue operation that brought eleven people to shore while identifying two deceased individuals. The Turkish-owned vessel had departed from the Ukrainian city of Izmail on September 18, carrying corn, and was scheduled to arrive in Ravenna, Italy, on October 12.
Geopolitical Fallout and Regional Solidarity
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the strike on the grain carrier, pointing out that the vessel was carrying food staples and staffed by Azerbaijani and Indian nationals. Zelenskyy argued that Moscow consistently bypasses diplomatic de-escalation proposals for the Black Sea in favor of military force, urging the international community to apply stronger pressure to secure global food supply chains. The attacks follow an intensifying campaign of cross-border strikes targeting critical infrastructure and energy assets on both sides of the conflict. Russia did not respond specifically to this incident, but stated on Monday that it had struck two cargo vessels, while making it clear on Sunday that it would launch even more attacks against Ukraine after Zelenskyy stated last week that Ukraine would also step up strikes against Russian oil refineries. Ukraine launched a large-scale operation against Russian oil facilities this summer, with drone strikes successfully hitting targets even in Moscow, aimed at disrupting the financing of the Russian invasion—a vulnerability President Vladimir Putin has previously been forced to acknowledge, following the largest Russian attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure since spring launched last Wednesday. Meanwhile, Russian forces have not yet responded to the matter.
Diplomatic channels reacted swiftly to the maritime security crisis. Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Sztojanov deployed aircraft and helicopters to scour the area for missing sailors, while national leaders continue to assess the broader security implications for commercial transit.
| Vessel Name | Flag | Cargo / Status | Location of Incident |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alfa Watan | Togo | Sunk, crew missing | Bulgarian Exclusive Economic Zone |
| Able | Palau | Damaged by fire, crew rescued | Near Bjala, Bulgaria (~112 km out) |
| Royad Mammadov | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Corn, sank (2 dead, 11 rescued) | Off Romania, near Danube Delta |
As search and rescue operations wind down and maritime authorities evaluate the wreckage, the long-term viability of commercial shipping insurance across the Western Black Sea remains under severe strain. With regional capitals demanding renewed security guarantees, the incident cements the maritime theater as a central flashpoint in the broader European security architecture, marking the first shipping attack within the NATO member state’s exclusive Black Sea economic zone.
