Black Sea: search for the ALFA WATAN crew has ended

Updated 7 October: Bulgaria has ended the search for the ALFA WATAN crew, Reuters reported. The sailors’ fate remains unknown. All 18 people from the other stricken ship, ABLE, were evacuated to Varna.

All sailors rescued from ABLE are in Varna

ABLE, sailing under the flag of Palau, was hit about 70 nautical miles east of Byala in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone. After a fire broke out on board, all 18 crew members were evacuated with the help of the Bulgarian ferry DIOSCURIA and later transported to Varna.

According to BNT, two sailors sustained more serious injuries and remain under medical care. The other 16 arrived in Varna later in the day and underwent medical examinations.

ALFA WATAN crew remains missing

The Togo-flagged ALFA WATAN sank after the attack. On 7 October, the Maritime Administration said Bulgaria would not resume the search. Its termination does not establish the missing sailors’ fate.

Bulgarian authorities: attack took place in the exclusive economic zone

Prime Minister Rumen Radev said the two merchant ships were attacked by aerial and maritime drones in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone. The government described the attack as a serious violation of international law.

Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov told BNT that the available information points to a combined attack involving aerial and maritime drones. However, no perpetrator has been officially identified and publicly confirmed.

European Commission: attacks on civilian shipping are unacceptable

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the attacks on civilian shipping in the Black Sea as unacceptable, Reuters reported. She highlighted the risks to merchant vessels and their crews.

Sea water being tested near Kaliakra, Byala and Sozopol

Bulgaria’s Environment Ministry ordered emergency sea-water sampling near Cape Kaliakra, Byala and Sozopol. The samples will be tested for petroleum products, polychlorinated biphenyls, metals and other indicators. No laboratory results have been published yet, so neither the presence nor the absence of pollution can be claimed at this stage.

The National Security Council met on 7 October

On 7 October, the National Security Council met at the presidency to discuss maritime security and critical infrastructure, bTV reported. New details about European satellite support are in the next report on this story.

Sources: Council of Ministers, Ministry of Environment and Water, BNT – rescued sailors in Varna, BNT – Chief of Defence, Reuters – European Commission position.

Updated on 7 October 2026 with information about the halted search and the National Security Council meeting.

Additional sources: Reuters – search halted · bTV – developments.

Archive illustration: a view of the Black Sea from Byala, Varna Province, on 18 August 2014. Photographer: Alexandru Panoiu. It does not depict the affected ships, the attack or the rescue operation. Original on Wikimedia Commons. Licence CC BY 2.0. Resized and cropped to 1200×675 pixels by 5000.news without stretching.