Abandoned Capesize Emil drifts into Bulgarian waters two months after drone strike

The Liberia-flagged bulk carrier Emil has drifted into Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone two months after her crew abandoned her off Ukraine. Bulgaria's Air Force and Navy located the ship on 4 October about 40 nautical miles east of Cape Shabla, in the northeast of the country just south of the Romanian border, in an operation with two Cougar helicopters between 11:30 and 13:10. The Bulgarian Navy has issued a warning to shipping and says it is tracking her and is ready to act if the situation changes.

Emil is a 292-metre Capesize of 175,463 dwt built in 2012, commercially managed by the Hamburg-based Blumenthal group. She was struck by a Russian drone on 5 August about 21 nautical miles from the Greater Odesa area, which started a fire and knocked out her technical systems. Her 11 crew, none of them German nationals, were evacuated without injury. Russia's Defence Ministry confirmed that drones had attacked two cargo ships that night, saying they carried military cargo. On the second ship, the grain carrier Mera Queen, one Ukrainian crew member was killed and three were injured.

Since then Emil has drifted southwest, first through Romania's zone. Photographs from the Bulgarian reconnaissance show the strike in the stern, fire damage to the stern and the accommodation block and a burnt-out bridge. No salvage effort has been reported.

What did Bulgaria find on Able?

Bulgaria is also dealing with the two ships attacked inside its economic zone on 6 October. The frigate Verni found the burnt-out general cargo ship Able about 55 nautical miles northeast of Cape Emine on 8 October, stable but down by the stern with her engine room believed to be at least partly flooded. On 9 October two members of the armed forces spent about 30 minutes on board looking for drone debris. They found no fragments on the ship or in the water but confirmed that she was carrying wheat. The Palau-flagged ship is 114 metres long and of 7,400 dwt. Officials said it was impossible to tell whether she would sink or keep drifting.

Bulgaria's defence minister said that without evidence the government would not speculate on who launched the drones; Ukraine and Russia have both denied the attack. Bulgaria had declared the ten crew of Alfa Watan, which sank in the same attack, missing and stopped searching, but its teams resumed the search this week. Syria, which had nine nationals on board, has asked for an independent investigation involving Bulgaria and the International Maritime Organization.

Bulgaria has handled a drifting war casualty before. In December the shadow fleet tanker Kairos drifted onto its coast after an attack off Turkey. Bulgaria moved the hulk to a sheltered anchorage, later recovered its costs from the owners and sold the ship.

This story is part of the Maritime Briefing of 12 October 2026.