Able, one of the merchant ships attacked off Bulgaria’s coast, sinks – report

The cargo ship Able, which was attacked by a drone in Bulgaria’s Black Sea exclusive economic zone on October 6, has sunk off the coast of Türkiye, Nova Televizia reported on October 20.

The vessel, flying the flag of Palau, disappeared from radar late on the night of October 19, the report said.

The ship was seriously damaged in the attack about 70 nautical miles east of the town of Byala on Bulgaria’s northern Black Sea coast.

After the impact, a fire broke out on board, and the engine room began to fill with water.

In spite of the damage, the vessel remained afloat, but it listed and drifted for some time without control in the Black Sea.

Two military personnel who did an in-situ inspection of the Able, one of the two vessels attacked in Bulgaria’s Black Sea exclusive economic zone on October 6, did not find any drone debris, they and Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov told reporters on October 9.

On October 14, Able left the Bulgarian exclusive economic zone. According to the Ministry of Transport, this happened at around 1.10am, when the ship was about 33 nautical miles east of Ahtopol.

The vessel is 110 metres long and 17 metres wide. At the time of the attack, it was carrying 5985 tons of barley from Romania to Türkiye .

Immediately after the attack, a rescue operation was organized. All 18 members of the Able crew – 11 Turkish and seven Indian citizens – were evacuated. Nearby vessels participated in their rescue. The sailors were taken aboard the ship Dioscuria, which transported them to the port of Varna.

The Able was one of two merchant ships attacked by drones off the Bulgarian coast on October 6.

The other vessel, the Togolese-flagged Alfa Watan, suffered severe structural damage and sank shortly after the attack.

(Archive photo of the Able: Bulgaria’s Ministry of Defence)