The attacks with air and sea drones against two merchant ships in the Bulgarian exclusive economic zone directly raise the issue of the security of shipping in the Black Sea. This was stated by the MP from “Progressive Bulgaria“ and member of the parliamentary defense committee Hristo Simeonov to Radio FOCUS.
The incident occurred about 70 nautical miles, or approximately 130 kilometers, east of Byala. The ship ALFA WATAN, flying the flag of Togo, suffered critical damage and sank. No survivors were found during the search for the crew, and the operation was terminated on October 7.
The second vessel – ABLE, under the flag of Palau, was engulfed in fire. All 18 crew members were evacuated, with two injured sailors being transported to Varna. The Navy, Air Force, Border Police and the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Varna participated in the rescue operation.
The risk is now direct for the merchant fleet
“The situation is indeed extremely serious“, said Simeonov. According to him, the attack took place in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, which is not part of the country's territorial waters, but the incident has direct implications for national security and maritime transport.
According to the MP, similar cases have already occurred in the economic zones of Turkey and Romania, as well as in the territorial waters of Ukraine. He described the incident as a targeted attack on merchant ships and a gross violation of international law, emphasizing that Bulgaria is not a party to the war.
Simeonov warned of consequences for the price and organization of transportation. Higher insurance may force some operators to abandon their activities in the region, which could disrupt logistics chains and increase the prices of cargo and energy carriers.
Common rules for ship protection are needed
During the rescue operation, Su-25 aircraft carried out aerial reconnaissance, and "Cougar" helicopters and Navy ships were involved or put on alert. Simeonov pointed out that the civilian ship DIOSCURIA, which was closest to the area, was the first to intervene in rescuing the ABLE crew.
“In the zone of 70-80 miles from the coast, there are no magical coastal anti-drone defense systems that can cover such distances“, said the MP. Therefore, he insists on rethinking the security measures of merchant ships and on international standards for protecting the civilian fleet from unmanned aerial and marine vehicles.
The origin of the drones remains unconfirmed publicly by the Bulgarian authorities. Ukraine has accused Russia of the attack, while Moscow has stated that the two ships were not among the Russian targets. According to Simeonov, institutions should act only on the basis of facts and evidence. “There is no absolute security“, he said, commenting on the limitations of existing anti-drone systems.
Sources: focus-news.net, apnews.com, amp.dw.com