Bulgarian authorities have reported that a merchant vessel sank in the Black Sea following a drone attack, leaving its crew unaccounted for, while a second ship carrying grain was also struck within the country's exclusive economic zone. Prime Minister Rumen Radev disclosed the incidents on Wednesday, describing them as a serious escalation in the maritime tensions that have gripped the region since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The attacks occurred at approximately 03:00 local time, which corresponds to 23:00 GMT, according to Radev. The strikes took place roughly 70 miles, or 112 kilometres, off the coastal town of Byala in eastern Bulgaria. The prime minister stated that both air and sea drones were deployed in the assaults, marking a notable expansion of the conflict's reach into waters that had previously been considered relatively insulated from direct attack.
The vessel that sank was sailing under the flag of Togo, a West African nation whose maritime registry is frequently used by international shipping operators. A Bulgarian ship was in the vicinity at the time and responded to the scene, but upon arrival, its crew found only an overturned hull, scattered life rafts and floating life jackets. It remains unclear how many sailors were aboard the sunken vessel at the time of the attack, and the nature of its cargo has not yet been established. A search operation is currently underway in an effort to locate any survivors.
The second vessel, which was transporting grain, was also hit during the same wave of attacks. Its crew of 18 was rescued by Bulgarian sailors, according to Radev. Among those saved were two individuals who sustained injuries in a fire that broke out on board. The crew comprised 11 Turkish nationals and seven Indian citizens, highlighting the international character of the commercial shipping industry that operates in the Black Sea.
Radev condemned the strikes in forceful terms, calling them "a flagrant violation of maritime law." He told reporters that an attack occurring within Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone was "absolutely unacceptable." His remarks underscore the growing concern among Black Sea littoral states that the war between Russia and Ukraine is increasingly spilling over into their territorial waters and economic interests.
Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea covers just over 29,000 square kilometres, or 11,197 square miles. That represents approximately 6% of the total surface area of the Black Sea. While exclusive economic zones do not confer sovereignty over the waters themselves, they grant coastal states special rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources, and attacks within such areas are widely viewed as a violation of international norms.
The prime minister did not attribute responsibility for the attacks to any particular party. However, the incidents come amid a broader pattern of intensified Russian strikes in the Black Sea as part of Moscow's ongoing war against Ukraine. The Kremlin has not issued any comment on the latest developments.
The attacks follow a day of heightened tensions, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of striking a civilian vessel carrying corn. That earlier incident, which occurred near Odesa, resulted in the death of one crew member and injuries to seven others. According to Ukrainian media reports, the ship involved in Tuesday's attack was flying the flag of the Marshall Islands, another commonly used flag of convenience in international shipping.
On Sunday, Russia's defence ministry announced that it would intensify its strikes across Ukraine. The ministry framed the escalation as a response to comments made by Zelensky the previous week, in which the Ukrainian president stated that Kyiv would ramp up its attacks on Russian oil refineries. The exchange of threats has raised concerns that civilian infrastructure and commercial shipping could become increasingly caught in the crossfire.
The Black Sea has been a critical theatre of the conflict since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The region serves as a vital corridor for grain exports, particularly from Ukraine, which is one of the world's largest producers of wheat, corn and sunflower oil. Disruptions to shipping in the Black Sea have had significant ramifications for global food security, particularly in parts of Africa and the Middle East that depend heavily on Ukrainian grain.
International maritime law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, prohibits attacks on civilian vessels in most circumstances. The targeting of merchant ships, regardless of their flag state, constitutes a potential war crime under international humanitarian law. The fact that both vessels involved in the latest incidents appear to have been engaged in commercial activities — one carrying grain — has raised alarm among shipping industry observers and legal experts alike.
The use of drones in these attacks represents a relatively new and evolving dimension of modern warfare. Unmanned aerial and surface vessels offer combatants a low-cost, deniable means of projecting force across maritime distances. Their deployment in the Black Sea has complicated defence for commercial shipping, as traditional naval escort operations are not designed to counter swarms of small, agile unmanned craft.
The involvement of Turkish and Indian crew members in the rescued vessel highlights the potential for diplomatic repercussions beyond the immediate region. Turkey, which shares a maritime border with Bulgaria in the Black Sea, has maintained a delicate balancing act throughout the conflict, maintaining ties with both Moscow and Kyiv. India, meanwhile, has consistently advocated for a peaceful resolution to the war and has refrained from directly criticising Russia.
The presence of Bulgarian sailors in the rescue operation has been praised by officials, though the broader security situation remains precarious. The rescue of 18 individuals, including two injured crew members who were sent for treatment, represents a rare piece of positive news amid an otherwise grim sequence of events. The search for the missing crew from the sunken Togo-flagged vessel continues, with uncertainty mounting over their fate.
The attacks have renewed calls for enhanced maritime security cooperation among Black Sea states. NATO members Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey have all expressed concerns about the spillover effects of the war. However, the alliance has been cautious about direct involvement in the Black Sea, wary of triggering a broader confrontation with Russia. The latest incidents may force a reassessment of that posture.
For Bulgaria, a member of both NATO and the European Union, the strikes represent a direct challenge to its sovereignty and economic interests. The country has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine throughout the conflict, but it has also sought to avoid becoming a direct party to the war. The incursion into its exclusive economic zone may test that balancing act in the weeks ahead.
As the search operation continues and investigators work to determine the origins of the drones used in the attacks, the broader implications for regional stability and global shipping remain unclear. What is evident is that the Black Sea, once a conduit for trade and commerce, has become an increasingly dangerous arena in which the boundaries between military and civilian targets are being eroded.
(0)