Rescue Operations Save Crew Members After Black Sea Drone Attacks

Rescuers saved 18 crew members after drone strikes hit two merchant vessels off the coast of Bulgaria, according to reports from the BBC and Al Arabiya. One merchant ship sank following the strike, while a second vessel carrying grain was also struck, the BBC reported. [1][6]

Two injured crew members were transported to Varna for medical treatment following the strikes, Novinite and the BBC reported. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev stated that the incidents occurred inside Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, according to the BBC. [1][7]

In an earlier strike off the Romanian coast, Romanian ships and helicopters rescued 11 crew members from a Turkish-owned cargo ship carrying grain, UPI News and ABC News both reported. Romanian authorities confirmed that two people died, including the captain, while UPI News noted that one sailor remained missing after the vessel caught fire and sank. [2][3]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was responsible for the strike near Romania, UPI News reported. Moscow has not issued a comment on the latest incidents, according to the BBC. The Black Sea is bordered by Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine, and serves as a major corridor for maritime grain exports. [1][2][9][12]