SOFIA — Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev has condemned a brazen drone attack on two commercial vessels in the Black Sea, labeling the strike a “flagrant violation of international maritime law.” The assault, which occurred early Tuesday morning, resulted in the sinking of one ship and has prompted an emergency meeting of the Bulgarian government.
The incident took place at approximately 3 a.m. local time (2 a.m. CET), roughly 70 nautical miles east of the Bulgarian coastal town of Byala. According to reports from the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (BTA), the vessels were targeted by a combination of sea and aerial drones. While the Prime Minister did not identify the perpetrators behind the strike, the escalation has sent shockwaves through the region, marking a significant breach of the Bulgarian exclusive economic zone.
“Such an attack within the Bulgarian exclusive economic zone is absolutely unacceptable,” Radev stated during the opening of an emergency cabinet meeting held in Sofia. The summit, which convened top officials from the defense, interior, and transport ministries alongside intelligence and security services, focused on the immediate response to the maritime security threat.
The humanitarian impact of the attack remains the primary concern for the Bulgarian government. Search and rescue operations are currently underway, as the crew of the sunken vessel remains missing. “Our priority is to protect lives, regardless of who was sailing in our economic zone,” Radev emphasized, as rescue teams continue to scour the waters for survivors.
Beyond the immediate loss of life, the Prime Minister warned that the incident marks a dangerous trend of instability. He cautioned that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine is continuing to widen its geographic reach, elevating the risk of a broader global confrontation. Furthermore, the economic fallout is expected to be swift; such attacks severely hamper commercial shipping lanes and are projected to cause a surge in insurance costs for vessels operating in the Black Sea.
The situation is further complicated by the lingering presence of the cargo ship Emil, which was struck by Russian drones in August. The vessel has been drifting toward Bulgarian waters, with Moscow justifying that previous attack by claiming the ship was transporting military equipment. Addressing the potential encroachment of the conflict into Bulgarian territory, Radev issued a stern warning, declaring, “We will not in any way allow the Bulgarian coast to be threatened.”
The attack on the two vessels follows a separate incident just one day earlier, in which a Turkish-owned cargo ship carrying grain was struck by a drone in the Black Sea, resulting in fatalities and injuries. As tensions in the region reach a boiling point, the Bulgarian government is expected to increase naval patrols and seek further coordination with its Black Sea allies to ensure the security of international shipping corridors.
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