Eleven Sailors Missing After Drone Strike Sinks Cargo Ship Off Bulgaria

Eleven sailors are missing after a drone attack sank a cargo ship off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, while a second vessel was damaged in a separate strike, prompting fresh concerns over the growing threat to commercial shipping in the region.

Bulgarian authorities said on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, that the Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo ship HS Dignity sank after being hit by a drone. Five crew members were rescued, but the search for the remaining 11 sailors was continuing.

The attacks occurred overnight near the Bulgarian coast, drawing renewed attention to the spread of hostilities linked to Russia’s war against Ukraine into key maritime routes. The vessels were struck approximately 20 to 21 miles from Bulgaria’s coastline, according to Prime Minister Rumen Radev.

A second vessel, the Maltese-flagged Chelsea 3, which is operated by a Ukrainian company, was struck by three drones. All 15 crew members; seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis, were rescued. Five received medical attention for minor injuries, but none was reported to be seriously injured.

Radev condemned the attacks as unacceptable and said their outcome appeared to benefit Russia, although Bulgarian authorities have not presented conclusive evidence identifying who launched the drones. Bulgaria summoned Russia’s ambassador for discussions over the incidents. Moscow had not immediately commented on the latest attacks.

The European Union and Ukraine also condemned the strikes. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the Black Sea had become another front in the escalation of the war and called for those responsible to be held accountable.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, accused Moscow of disregarding civilian lives and warned that attacks on commercial shipping threatened global food security. Russia has not publicly accepted responsibility for the incidents.

The latest sinking follows another drone attack the previous week in Bulgaria’s Black Sea maritime zone, when the Togo-flagged cargo vessel Alfa Watan sank and its crew could not be found. A second ship, the Able, was damaged in that incident, but its 18 crew members were rescued.

The repeated attacks have heightened concern for sailors and shipping companies operating in the Black Sea, a strategic corridor for grain, energy and other commercial goods. Russia and Ukraine are both major grain exporters, and disruption to maritime transport can affect supply chains well beyond the region.

Bulgaria, a member of NATO and the European Union, has called for stronger surveillance of its maritime and airspace. Radev also discussed the security situation with von der Leyen and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte as officials consider measures to protect shipping and prevent further escalation.

Search-and-rescue efforts and investigations into the latest strikes were ongoing. Authorities had not established publicly who was responsible, leaving the fate of the 11 missing sailors and the wider security of Black Sea shipping at the centre of growing international concern.