Drone Attack Sinks One Ship and Damages Another Off Bulgaria

Drones struck two ships in Bulgaria's economic zone, sinking one and setting the other on fire. The crew of one vessel was rescued, while the fate of the other's crew remains unknown, with a large rescue operation underway. The targeted ships were the Togo-flagged Alfa Watan and the Palau-flagged Able. The Alfa Watan sank east of the Bulgarian coast, while the Able caught fire, forcing all 18 crew members to abandon it. The Bulgarian ferry Dioscuria rescued the Able's crew, some of whom were injured. Romanian coast guard vessels and a helicopter joined the search and rescue operation. Bulgarian media describe the incident as an unprecedented coordinated drone attack on commercial vessels in the area. The origin of the drones and the circumstances of the attack are still under investigation.