Drones strike merchant vessels in Black Sea off Bulgaria and Ukraine, killing at least one
A Russian drone struck a merchant vessel flying the Marshall Islands flag in the Black Sea. Separately, two merchant ships were hit by drones around 112 kilometers (70 miles) off Bulgaria's coast on Oct. 6.
On October 6, drones reportedly targeted multiple merchant vessels in the Black Sea, including two ships in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone. A Russian drone attack on a civilian vessel in the Black Sea claimed at least one life and injured several others. The vessel, flying the flag of the Marshall Islands, was transporting rapeseed oil and suffered a fire in the superstructure.
Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper condemned the attack, stating it violates international law and poses a threat to global food security. Two merchant ships, the Togo-flagged Alfa Watan and the Palau-flagged Able, were also hit by drones about 70 miles off Bulgaria's coast. The Togo-flagged vessel sank, and its crew's fate remains unknown.
Life jackets were spotted near the vessel, but no survivors were found. The second ship caught fire, and all 18 crew members were rescued by a Bulgarian ferry. Two sailors sustained severe injuries. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev convened an emergency meeting, describing the attacks as a gross violation of international law and warning of risks to Black Sea shipping.
The incidents follow a similar drone strike off the Romanian coast two days earlier, which killed two people and injured 11 others on a grain ship.
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