Black Sea ship attacks leave two dead and crew missing

The first deadly incident was reported on October 5, when a commercial vessel caught fire and sank in the Black Sea near Romania. Romanian authorities confirmed two deaths and said 11 people were rescued, according to World News CNA.

The ship was the 139-metre Royad Mammadov, according to News18. Deutsche Welle described it as a Turkish ship and reported that local media said it was carrying grain.

Ukraine blamed Russian drones for the sinking. But Romanian authorities did not identify the cause of the fire, and Romania's defence ministry did not respond when asked whether a drone was involved, World News CNA reported. The accusation and the confirmed facts remain separate.

On October 5, Romania's Coast Guard was alerted at around 11 am local time. The vessel was in Romania's exclusive economic zone, about 30 nautical miles south of Sfantul Gheorghe, according to NDTV.

Reports differed on the casualty details. World News CNA reported two dead and 11 rescued, while Euronews described two deaths and 11 injuries. The Indian Express headline reported one person killed. These accounts do not provide a consistent injury total.

Three Indian nationals were among the crew, one of whom was injured and received medical care, according to Times of India. On October 6, NDTV reported that India had reacted to reports of a Russian attack, calling the aggression "completely unacceptable."

Also on October 6, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said drones had struck two commercial vessels in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone. The Togo-flagged Alfa Watan suffered critical structural damage and sank on the spot, according to The Hindu.

The second vessel caught fire, DIE WELT reported. Euronews reported that 18 sailors were rescued after the attacks, while nu.nl placed the 18 crew members aboard the vessel that did not sink.

Bulgarian authorities have launched a search for missing crew from the sunken vessel, according to AFP. ARD Tagesschau reported injuries among crew on the other ship. Bulgaria's government also convened a crisis meeting, DER SPIEGEL reported.

The source of the drones that struck off Bulgaria was not immediately clear, according to The New York Times. Ukraine's accusation against Russia concerns the earlier sinking near Romania; the supplied reports do not establish responsibility for the Bulgarian attacks.

The immediate issue is whether rescuers can locate the missing crew off Bulgaria. Further official findings are also needed to establish where those drones originated and what caused the fire near Romania, where authorities have not confirmed a drone strike, according to The New York Times and The Hindu.