Drone strikes on two ships off Bulgaria condemned by EU

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday that attacks on civilian shipping are unacceptable after two commercial vessels were hit in Bulgaria's economic zone in the Black ⁠Sea, Reuters reports.

The attacks are believed to be the first to have taken place in the waters of Bulgaria, a member of the EU and NATO nation.

Togo-flagged vessel Alfa Watan sank, with all 10 crew members lost, while seafarers aboard the other vessel, the Able, were rescued safely; that vessel is still on fire and now likely to sink also, Bulgaria’s Maritime Administration has said.

"Commercial ships – and innocent crews – are being targeted, with lives already lost at sea," von der Leyen said.

While the circumstances of the incidents are being investigated, the situation in the Black Sea ⁠is increasingly concerning, she added.

More than 200 attacks on ships have been reported in the Black Sea this year, according to Clarksons Research.