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Syria is demanding an "independent and transparent" investigation into the sinking of the Togo-flagged cargo ship Alfa Watan in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, questioning why search-and-rescue efforts were halted before the fate of 10 missing crew members — nine Syrians and one Egyptian — was known. The incident occurred amid rising drone attacks on Black Sea shipping linked to the Russia-Ukraine war.
Ukraine has received four mediation proposals from India, Turkey, Egypt and the United States, none of which aims to end the war outright but each seeking a narrower ceasefire covering energy infrastructure, ports or Black Sea commercial shipping. Kyiv says it will accept a truce on energy and shipping only as a combined package, while Moscow has signaled openness in public but is reported to have rejected the Indian plan.
Bulgarian authorities have ended the search for missing crew members after a drone attack sank a cargo ship in the Black Sea, confirming no survivors. Eighteen sailors were rescued from a second vessel that caught fire, but the crew of the sunken ship remains missing.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said drones struck two commercial ships off Bulgaria's coast early Tuesday, sinking the Togo-flagged Alfa Watan and setting the Palau-flagged Able ablaze. Eighteen crew were evacuated from the Able, two were seriously injured and flown to Varna, and a large search operation is under way for missing sailors from the sunken vessel.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy says two Russian drones attacked a civilian ship carrying corn in Romanian waters of the Black Sea, sinking the vessel and killing two people. The incident heightens fears the conflict could spill onto NATO's eastern flank.
Turkey summoned Ukraine's ambassador to Ankara on Saturday to discuss attacks on Turkish-operated cargo ships in the Black Sea this week, amid escalating Russia-Ukraine conflict. Ankara emphasized the need to ensure safety in the region, as maritime movements have become increasingly risky.
Russia and Ukraine continued overnight aerial attacks against each other, causing civilian casualties and infrastructure damage. Ukraine targeted multiple Russian oil refineries, while Russia struck the Dnipropetrovsk region and a cargo ship near Odesa.
Two Russian fighter jets made multiple dangerous approaches to an unarmed Royal Air Force surveillance aircraft over the Black Sea in April, according to the UK Ministry of Defense. The incident occurred while the Rivet Joint was conducting a routine reconnaissance mission in international airspace to protect NATO's eastern flank. UK Defense Secretary John Healey condemned the actions as creating a serious risk of accident and escalation.
A Russian drone struck a Chinese-owned cargo ship in the Black Sea on March 1, one day before President Putin's visit to Beijing. No injuries were reported among the all-Chinese crew, and the vessel continued to its destination port.
