United Kingdom has condemned a series of attacks on civilian shipping in the Black Sea, warning that the widening risks to merchant vessels are threatening seafarers, disrupting commercial routes and creating broader consequences for maritime security and freedom of navigation.
UK Senior Military Advisor Colonel Joby Rimmer stated that, “United Kingdom stands in full solidarity with Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye following the attacks on civilian shipping in the Black Sea over the past 48 hours. Our thoughts are with the seafarers who have lost their lives, with those still missing, and with their families.”
The incidents have raised concern over the growing exposure of merchant vessels operating in waters used for international trade, particularly after attacks reached the exclusive economic zones of Bulgaria and Romania. At least three merchant vessels were affected within two days, with deaths, injuries, a sinking, and missing crew members reported.
The first incident occurred on October 5, when the Turkish-owned cargo vessel Royad Mammadov, carrying corn from the Ukrainian port of Izmail to Italy, caught fire and sank in Romania’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Two crew members were killed, while Romanian authorities rescued 11 others.
The following day, two further merchant vessels, Alfa Watan and Able, were struck by air and sea drones in Bulgaria’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Alfa Watan sank, with its crew remaining missing, while 18 sailors aboard Able were rescued, including two who sustained serious injuries. The attacks represented the first such incident involving shipping in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone.
Another vessel carrying rapeseed oil was also struck off Odesa on October 6, killing one crew member and injuring seven, according to the UK statement.
Rimmer commended Bulgarian and Romanian rescue services, as well as the crew of the ferry Dioscuria, for their response to the incidents. The ferry was involved in rescuing the crew of Able after the vessel was struck and caught fire.
The attacks have intensified concerns over the safety of merchant vessels operating through the Black Sea, where commercial traffic has continued despite the risks created by the war.
UK Warns of Wider Maritime Security Risks
Also, UK warned that the latest incidents should not be viewed as isolated attacks, pointing to a broader pattern of threats against civilian and commercial vessels since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Rimmer noted that Russia’s Ministry of Defence announced that Russian forces had struck two cargo vessels in the Black Sea. UK argued that attacks which fail to distinguish between military targets and civilian vessels, or which cause excessive incidental harm to civilians and civilian vessels compared with the anticipated military advantage, could breach international humanitarian law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
“The Russian Armed Forces must comply fully with its obligations under international law,” added.
Meanwhile, data from Türkiye’s Chamber of Shipping indicate that 226 civilian and commercial vessels have been attacked in the Black Sea since the beginning of the war, with the vast majority recorded in 2026. A separate Turkish Shipowners’ Association database had identified 146 confirmed cases involving non-military commercial vessels by late August.
Rimmer warned that the consequences affect seafarers from countries far removed from the conflict itself. Among the crews affected during the latest incidents were Turkish, Indian and Azerbaijani nationals.
UK argued that secure maritime routes represent a global common good because they underpin international trade, food supplies and economic activity.
He warned that threats to those routes were “costing the lives of seafarers” and placing additional burdens on the global economy, with consequences that can disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.
UK Links Shipping Attacks to Russia-Ukraine War
UK also used the incidents to underline its broader assessment that Russia’s war against Ukraine has destabilised security across the wider Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe area.
Rimmer argued that the movement of the conflict into waters surrounding Bulgaria and Romania demonstrated how developments in Ukraine could generate risks for neighbouring states and international commercial activity.
Recent attacks have extended beyond waters immediately surrounding Ukraine and Russia, with merchant vessels being struck in areas previously considered less exposed to direct attacks. Maritime security consultancy Ambrey reported that at least 45 merchant vessels had been attacked over the preceding 12 months in parts of the Black Sea that had not previously been classified as high-risk areas.
In addition to that, UK linked the latest developments to efforts to prevent further escalation. Rimmer noted that the forum in which he was speaking exists partly to reduce the risks of misunderstanding, miscalculation and unintended escalation between participating states.
The presence of drones and attacks on merchant vessels inside the exclusive economic zones of participating countries, he argued, increases those risks and creates additional pressure on governments responsible for protecting their maritime approaches.
Against that backdrop, UK called for Russia to agree to a ceasefire and engage in negotiations aimed at ending the wider conflict.
Rimmer noted that Ukraine had agreed to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire, while the Kremlin had rejected it. He argued that an agreement to halt hostilities would provide the clearest route towards ending attacks on civilian shipping.
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