Syria on October 8 requested the International Maritime Organization and Bulgarian authorities to initiate an independent investigation into the sinking of a cargo ship in the Black Sea. The ship, known as Alpha Watan, sank following a drone attack, and 10 of its crew, including 9 Syrians, are still missing.
Details of the Ship Sinking
The Alpha Watan was targeted in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone on Tuesday, and Bulgarian officials announced that the search for the crew members has been halted. Admiral Rumen Nikolov stated that no signs of the crew have been found, and rescue operations will not be resumed. This incident occurred while Belarus is examining the implications of this attack and its impact on maritime security in the region.
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Risks from Maritime Attacks
Mazen Aloush, Director of International Relations at Syria's General Ports and Customs Organization, strongly condemned this attack and emphasized that targeting a civilian commercial ship is a serious violation of maritime safety and a direct threat to the lives of the crew and international trade routes. He also called for the use of all available technical means to identify and investigate the wreckage of the ship to determine the cause of this incident. Aloush stressed that this case should not be closed until all possible avenues for determining the fate of the crew have been exhausted.
Additionally, Aloush urged international organizations and maritime authorities to take necessary measures to enhance the protection of commercial shipping and crews in the Black Sea, as the risks from maritime attacks in this region are increasing. In recent years, Russia has attacked cargo ships in the Black Sea using drones and missiles.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev stated on Wednesday that the type of cargo and the route of the ships could point to Russia, but emphasized that there is no evidence that directly attributes responsibility for this attack to Russia. Meanwhile, the Russian embassy in Sofia has stated that this commercial ship was not among the targets hit by Russian drones.
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