Key facts
- Eleven sailors are missing after a drone attack sank the cargo ship Azov Concord off Bulgaria.
- The ship was flying the Guinea-Bissau flag.
- Five crew members were rescued.
- Another ship, the Chelsea 3, was hit by three drones but its crew was rescued.
- Bulgaria summoned Russia's ambassador following the attacks.
- This is the second fatal cargo ship sinking in the area in a week.
Eleven sailors remain missing after a drone attack sank the Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo ship Azov Concord off the coast of Bulgaria on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. Bulgarian officials stated that two cargo ships were targeted by drones overnight, with one sinking and the other sustaining damage but successfully rescuing its crew.
Prime Minister Rumen Radev of Bulgaria summoned Russia's ambassador following the incidents, noting that their outcome "benefits the Russian Federation," though Bulgaria stopped short of explicitly accusing Russia. The attacks have drawn condemnation from Ukraine and the European Union, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stating on X that "Those responsible should be held accountable." Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also commented on X, calling the strike a "deliberate disregard for civilian lives" and asserting that "Russia is attacking it to weaponize hunger and hold the world hostage."
Five crew members were rescued from the Azov Concord, while eleven are still listed as missing. The vessel's Turkey-based manager was not immediately available for comment. Another ship, the Chelsea 3, sailing under a Maltese flag, was hit by three drones overnight, but its crew of seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis were all rescued without serious injury.
This incident marks the second fatal cargo ship sinking in the area within a week. A previous attack a week prior resulted in the loss of nine Syrian sailors and one Egyptian when their ship sank after being hit by drones in Bulgaria's Black Sea exclusive economic zone. Another vessel was also hit that night, but its crew was rescued.