Drones sink ships near NATO countries in “unacceptable” attacks, EU says
Two cargo ships have sunk, one ship was afire, and sailors are dead or missing.
Drones have sunk two cargo ships and damaged a third within the exclusive economic zones of NATO member nations for the first time, resulting in at least two sailor deaths. These attacks mark a significant escalation as commercial shipping in the Black Sea has been increasingly targeted during Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, with Russia also facing accusations of employing "hybrid warfare" tactics across Europe.
The Alfa Watan, a Togo-flagged cargo vessel, was sunk, while the Palau-flagged Able was set on fire following a multi-drone attack approximately 80 miles (128 kilometers) off the Bulgarian coast on October 6, as reported by the Associated Press. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev characterized these incidents as "an unacceptable attack in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone" and a "blatant violation of international law and maritime law."
The fate of the Alfa Watan's crew remains unknown following the sinking. However, the 18 crew members of the Able were successfully evacuated by a Bulgarian ferry, with two seriously injured mariners being airlifted to a hospital in Varna.
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