Multiple merchant vessels were struck in the Black Sea on October 6, resulting in casualties and the sinking of a cargo ship.

On October 6, several merchant vessels were targeted by drone strikes in the Black Sea. Attacks occurred both within Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone and off the Russian coast, resulting in at least one death, multiple injuries, and the sinking of a Togo-flagged cargo ship.

Attacks in Bulgarian Waters

Two merchant ships, the Togo-flagged Alfa Watan and the Palau-flagged Able, were struck by drones approximately 112 kilometers off the Bulgarian coast. The Alfa Watan suffered severe damage and sank, with search efforts for its crew ongoing. The Able caught fire, but all 18 crew members, who are Indian and Turkish nationals, were rescued by a Bulgarian ferry; two sailors sustained serious injuries. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine did not conduct operations in the area and attributed the strikes to Russian sea and air drones.

Additional Maritime Incidents

In a separate incident, a Russian drone strike hit a merchant vessel flying the Marshall Islands flag, killing a steward and injuring seven other crew members. The ship, which was carrying rapeseed oil, sustained damage to its superstructure. Meanwhile, the Russian Transport Ministry reported that the Liberian-flagged tanker Aframax Rio was set ablaze off the Russian Black Sea coast after being attacked by an unmanned vessel. All 23 Indian crew members were rescued, and no injuries were reported in that specific incident.