Ten sailors died after the Turkish cargo ship ALFA WATAN was hit by drones and sank in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea. This was reported by Turkish media, specifying that the vessel was flying the flag of Togo and was Turkish property.
The attack took place on October 6, about 70 nautical miles east of Byala. According to Medyascope, the ship was sailing towards Sulina, Romania. Initial reports said its crew was missing, but Euronews in Turkish later reported that all ten sailors had died. The discrepancy between the early and subsequent information remains part of the evolving evidence in the case.
The ship ABLE, flying the flag of Palau, was also hit in the same attack. A fire broke out on board, but Bulgarian teams rescued the crew. According to Turkish media, among the 18 sailors there are 11 Turkish and 7 Indian citizens. Two of them were injured.
Perpetrator remains unknown
Bulgarian authorities have not indicated which party was behind the attack. Prime Minister Rumen Radev said that the drones used were both aerial and naval. According to him, the direction of movement of the ships and the nature of the cargo give grounds for assuming that the attack is in favor of Russia, but this is not proof.
„Logically, the result seems to be in favor of Russia, but this does not mean that we can claim without evidence that the attack was carried out by Russia. This is a hypothesis, and in national security we must work with evidence“, said Rumen Radev.Bulgaria's National Security Council defined the attack as a serious violation of international maritime law and demanded an immediate investigation to identify the perpetrators. President Iliana Yotova said that the war in Ukraine has led to a serious deterioration in security in the Black Sea.
Sofia seeks joint action with Ankara and Bucharest
Bulgaria plans urgent consultations with Turkey and Romania to stop attacks on merchant ships and ensure safe shipping. Among the measures discussed are enhanced maritime surveillance, additional systems to counter drones and checking the ship that remained afloat for debris and traces that could help clarify the attack.
According to Euronews in Turkish, Bulgaria intends to raise the issue at the European Union meeting on October 15 and 16. Yotova has also suggested that the UN International Maritime Organization provide assistance in the technical and legal clarification of the incidents in the Black Sea.
Sources: medyascope.tv, tr.euronews.com, haberler.com