Bulgaria ends search for crew missing after Black Sea ship sinks
Rescuers found no survivors from a cargo ship sunk in a drone strike. Bulgarian authorities say they have not identified the drones’ origin.
Bulgarian authorities have ended the search for the crew of a cargo ship sunk by a drone strike in the Black Sea, after rescuers found no survivors. The crew remain missing, and authorities have not confirmed how many people were aboard.
Rumen Nikolov, head of Bulgaria’s Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre, said the operation stopped late Tuesday. Rescuers found an overturned boat, three life rafts and debris from the ship’s equipment.
A second commercial vessel caught fire in the incident. Eighteen Turkish and Indian crew members were rescued from it. The two ships were struck about 80 nautical miles east of Byala, in a search and rescue zone outside Bulgaria’s territorial waters.
Bulgarian authorities have not established where the drones came from. Nikolov said he had no information about drone debris being recovered. Responsibility for the strike has not been established.
The incident comes amid increased attacks on Black Sea shipping during the Russia-Ukraine war. A separate ship sank off Romania on Monday, killing two people; Ukraine blamed Russia for that attack.
