Black Sea drone strikes sink cargo ship, leaving 10 crew missing

Key points

• The Alfa Watan, a Turkish-owned cargo ship flying the Togo flag, sank after being hit by air and sea drones approximately 70 nautical miles off the coast of Byala, Bulgaria.
• The second vessel, the Able, was also struck and is expected to sink, but all 18 of its crew members were rescued by the Bulgarian ferry Dioscuria; two were hospitalized.
• Bulgarian authorities called off the search for the 10 missing crew members of the Alfa Watan after finding no trace of them, despite recovering life rafts and an overturned lifeboat.
• Prime Minister Rumen Radev condemned the attacks as a 'flagrant violation of maritime law' but did not name the perpetrators, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the situation 'increasingly concerning.'
• The incident occurred within 24 hours of another drone strike on a grain ship off Romania that killed two crew members, highlighting a pattern of escalating attacks on civilian shipping in the Black Sea.

Background

This incident follows a series of drone strikes on civilian shipping in the Black Sea, including a strike on a grain ship off Romania on October 5 that killed two crew members. The attacks come amid Russia's intensification of strikes in the region as part of its war against Ukraine, which began in February 2022. Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova has convened the national security council to discuss maritime security in response to the escalating threats.

How outlets are covering it

Bulgarian officials, including Prime Minister Rumen Radev, condemned the attacks as a violation of maritime law but did not attribute them to any specific state, emphasizing the need to halt the war in Ukraine to prevent further escalation. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the situation 'increasingly concerning' and stated that attacks on civilian shipping are 'unacceptable.' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blamed Russia for the previous strike on a grain ship off Romania, describing it as a 'horrific strike by two Russian drones on a civilian vessel.' India, which had crew members on the Able, expressed 'grave concern' over the attacks, stating that targeting traffic in international waterways is undermining global commerce.

Why it matters

The sinking of the Alfa Watan and the attack on the Able highlight the growing risks to civilian shipping in the Black Sea, a critical route for global trade. The incidents underscore the potential for the war in Ukraine to escalate and spread to other regions, with implications for international security and commerce. The lack of attribution by Bulgarian officials, despite the clear pattern of attacks, raises questions about the effectiveness of international responses to such incidents.

What to watch

Bulgarian authorities have called off the search for the 10 missing crew members of the Alfa Watan, and the Able is expected to sink. The national security council will likely discuss further measures to address maritime security in the Black Sea. International responses, including from the EU and other affected nations, may include increased diplomatic pressure or sanctions against the perpetrators, though no specific actions have been announced yet.