Bulgarian authorities have launched a search operation for missing crew members after two commercial vessels were hit by drones in the country's exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea. One of the ships, the Togo-flagged Alfa Watan, sank following the strikes.
A rescue effort is currently underway, with helicopters and a military jet joining the search for survivors. While the origin of the drones remains unclear and no one has been blamed for the incident, Prime Minister Rumen Radev described the attack as a gross violation of international law.
This incident marks the first attack on shipping within the NATO member's economic zone. The strikes occurred one day after a grain ship sank off the coast of Romania, as Black Sea shipping continues to face growing fallout from the war in Ukraine.