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. One of the ships, the Alfa Watan, which flew the flag of Togo, suffered critical structural damage and sank on the spot. The second vessel, the Able, which was flying the Palau flag, caught fire after the attack. Two of the sailors suffered severe injuries and were flown to a hospital in the port city of Varna, Mr. The origin of the drones was not immediately established. This was the first attack on shipping in the NATO member’s economic zone in the Black Sea.
Radev said after a government emergency meeting that the ships were attacked by several drones about 80 miles (128 km) off Bulgaria’s coast. The entire crew of 18 was evacuated by a Bulgarian ferry. Earlier reporting noted: The ships were attacked by several drones about 128 kilometres off Bulgaria’s coast, Radev said, after he held an emergency meeting on the incident.
There was no immediate information about the fate of the crew, he said. Radev said.
Earlier reporting noted: Drones strike two vessels in Bulgaria’s economic zone; one ship sinks Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev addresses the media following the incident in Bulgaria’s Black Sea economic zone (Photo: Reuters). Earlier reporting noted: Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev on Tuesday said two commercial vessels were struck by drones inside the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone, marking the first attack on shipping in the exclusive waters of a Nato country.
