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Eleven sailors missing after unmanned drone attack sinks vessel near Bulgaria

A commercial ship has sunk off Bulgaria's coast following what authorities are investigating as a drone strike, with eleven crew members reported missing. The incident marks an escalation in maritime incidents in the region.

LSN Sri Lanka · 20 October 2026

A merchant vessel has gone down in waters near Bulgaria after sustaining damage attributed to an unmanned aerial vehicle, prompting a search and rescue operation for the missing crew members. The ship sank following the reported drone strike, with rescue authorities mobilizing to locate the eleven sailors unaccounted for in the aftermath of the incident.

Details regarding the vessel's identity, cargo, and the circumstances surrounding the attack remain under investigation. Maritime authorities in the region have been notified and coordinated response efforts are underway to locate survivors and determine the full extent of the incident.

The sinking represents a significant maritime casualty and adds to growing concerns over drone-related threats to commercial shipping in international waters. Authorities have not yet confirmed the origin or motivation behind the reported attack, and an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Search and rescue operations continue in the area, with maritime agencies coordinating efforts to locate the missing crew members. The incident underscores mounting risks faced by commercial vessels operating in contested waters, with previous reports of similar maritime incidents in the broader region raising alarm among shipping operators and maritime authorities.