Bulgaria calls off rescue operation after drones sink Black Sea cargo ship
publishers 38articles 44first reported 5 Oct, 13:30 UTCdeveloping since 5 Oct · 26 editions
Bulgarian authorities called off a rescue operation on Wednesday, a day after drones struck two commercial vessels in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea and sank one of them, Reuters reported.
The attacks occurred early Tuesday off Bulgaria’s eastern coast and involved both aerial and sea drones, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said. The Togo-flagged, Turkish-owned general cargo ship *Alfa Watan* suffered severe structural damage and sank. Its crew was reported missing, but officials did not say how many people had been 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, including 11 Turkish and seven Indian nationals. Two sailors were seriously injured and taken to a hospital in Varna.
Radev condemned the strikes as an “absolutely unacceptable” violation of international and maritime law but did not identify who carried them out. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later said Ukraine had not operated in that part of the Black Sea and attributed the attack to Russia. Moscow had not commented on the incident.
Bulgarian authorities also monitored the area for possible oil spills or other pollution from the sunken vessel.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 3 with the publisher's own text; 7 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 42 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 38
- Source articles
- 44
- Given to the writer
- 8, 3 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 7
- This version written
- 42 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
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