Two ships hit by drones of unknown origin off Bulgarian coast – Europe live
Two merchant ships were struck by drones off the Bulgarian coast, leading to one sinking and prompting calls for international assistance. European leaders have condemned the attacks, linking the escalation to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Why it matters
The expansion of conflict into the Black Sea threatens global shipping security and risks further escalation between NATO and Russia.
Drones of unknown origin struck two ships in the Black Sea off Bulgaria this morning, sinking one and prompting emergency rescue operations, the country’s prime minister Rumen Radev said.
Bulgarian prime minister Rumen Radev addresses the media following an incident in Bulgaria's Black Sea economic zone last week. Only one person was rescued from the sunken vessel, and 15 people were picked up from the other one.
The attack comes exactly a week after a similar incident in which one ship sank with its crew on board, and the other one was evacuated, with 18 people rescued.
PM Radev said the attacks were “absolutely unacceptable,” and said he would seek assistance from Nato and the European Union.
He said that while there is no “clear and conclusive evidence to attribute responsibility” yet, “the logic suggests that the outcome benefits the Russian Federation.”
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3 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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