Search under way after drones strike two ships off Bulgaria
publishers 29articles 31first reported 5 Oct, 13:30 UTCdeveloping since 5 Oct · 27 editions
Bulgarian authorities launched a search for missing crew members after drones struck two commercial vessels in the country’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea on Tuesday, sinking one and setting the other on fire.
Prime Minister Rumen Radev said aerial and sea drones attacked the ships at about 3 a.m., roughly 110 to 130 kilometres off Bulgaria’s coast. The Togo-flagged, Turkish-owned cargo ship Alfa Watan sustained severe structural damage and sank. Rescue crews found an overturned vessel, rafts and life jackets, but no crew members; officials did not say how many people were aboard.
The Palau-flagged Able, which was carrying grain, caught fire after being hit. A Bulgarian ferry and naval vessel rescued all 18 crew members, comprising 11 Turkish and seven Indian nationals. Two sailors were seriously injured and taken to a hospital in Varna.
Radev called the strikes an unacceptable violation of international and maritime law. Authorities were also monitoring the area for oil spills or other pollution.
The drones’ origin was not immediately established, and Radev did not assign responsibility. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian forces had not operated in that part of the Black Sea and asserted that Russia carried out the attack. Russia had not commented. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned attacks on civilian shipping while saying the circumstances were still being established.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 3 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 24 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 29
- Source articles
- 31
- Given to the writer
- 8, 3 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 24 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and published it as written.
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →