11 Missing as Drone Attacks Strike Two Ships Near NATO Waters

Eleven sailors were missing at sea on Tuesday from a ship sunk by a drone attack off the coast of Bulgaria, possibly the second deadly sinking of a cargo vessel in the area in a week, prompting Bulgaria to summon Russia's ambassador.

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General cargo vessel ALFA WATAN, one of the two vessels attacked in drone strikes in the Black Sea off NATO member Bulgaria, according to a October 6, 2026 statement by Bulgarian PM Radev, sails in Istanbul, Turkey October 5, 2026 in this screengrab obtained from a handout video.

YORUK ISIK/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY.

SOFIA, Oct 13 (Reuters) – Eleven sailors were missing at sea on Tuesday from a ship sunk by a drone attack off the coast of Bulgaria, possibly the second deadly sinking of a cargo vessel in the area in a week, prompting Bulgaria to summon Russia’s ambassador.

Two cargo ships were hit by drones overnight and one was sunk, Bulgarian officials said.

Bulgaria stopped short of explicitly accusing Russia of carrying out the attacks but Prime Minister Rumen Radev said their outcome “benefits the Russian Federation.” “This is absolutely unacceptable — another attack in the immediate vicinity of Bulgarian territorial waters,” Radev said in a televised address.

“The Black Sea has become another front of escalation of the Russian war in Ukraine,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on X.

“Those responsible should be held accountable.” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X on Tuesday that the strike “once again demonstrates Moscow’s deliberate disregard for civilian lives.” Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.

General cargo vessel ALFA WATAN, one of the two vessels attacked in drone strikes in the Black Sea off NATO member Bulgaria, according to a October 6, 2026 statement by Bulgarian PM Radev, sails in Istanbul, Turkey October 5, 2026 in this screengrab obtained from a handout video.

YORUK ISIK/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY.