Bulgarian Prime Minister says two commercial vessels hit by drones in economic zone
Two commercial vessels were struck by drones in Bulgaria's Exclusive Economic Zone in the Black Sea, resulting in one ship sinking and another catching fire. Bulgarian authorities have launched an emergency response, though the origin of the drone attack remains unidentified.
Why it matters
This marks the first drone attack on shipping within a NATO member's economic zone, significantly escalating security concerns regarding maritime trade routes in the Black Sea.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said two commercial vessels were hit Tuesday (October 6, 2026) by drones in the country's Exclusive Economic Zone.
Mr. Radev said after a government emergency meeting that the ships were attacked by several drones about 80 miles (128 km) off Bulgaria's coast.
One of the ships, the Alfa Watan, which flew the flag of Togo, suffered critical structural damage and sank on the spot. There was no immediate information about the fate of the crew, he said.
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