Syria has formally requested an independent and transparent investigation into the sinking of a cargo ship in the Black Sea, seeking clarity regarding the fate of 10 missing crew members. The vessel, which carried nine Syrian nationals and one Egyptian, remains unaccounted for following the incident. Mazen Aloush of the Syrian port authority has urged both the International Maritime Organization and Bulgarian authorities to disclose the reasoning behind the premature termination of search and rescue operations before the missing sailors could be located. It is unclear who carried out the attack.
The Togo-flagged cargo ship, known as the Alfa Watan, sank within Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone early Tuesday. This maritime disaster occurred during a period of escalating drone strikes against shipping vessels amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. While the identity of the perpetrators behind the attack remains unknown, the incident also severely damaged the Palau-flagged ship, Able. That vessel was left ablaze after the strike, though all 18 Turkish and Indian crew members were successfully rescued.
Equasis merchant shipping records indicate that both commercial vessels involved were under the management of Turkey-based firms. The Syrian sailors’ union confirmed that communication with the Alfa Watan crew was severed and no survivors were recovered after the search efforts were halted. Aloush strongly condemned the assault on civilian commercial shipping, describing the attack as a major violation of maritime security and a direct danger to mariners worldwide.
Representing the Syrian General Authority for Ports and Customs, Aloush stated that the authority is actively monitoring the situation. He has called for the utilization of advanced technical resources to inspect the wreckage, which could provide critical evidence regarding the cause of the sinking. Furthermore, he emphasized the urgent need for international maritime agencies to bolster safety protocols as attacks against commercial traffic continue to rise throughout the Black Sea region.
