A Ukrainian cargo ship sank in the Black Sea off the Bulgarian coast on Sunday, October 12, but all ten crew members were rescued, authorities reported.

The Cameroon-registered general cargo vessel EILEEN suffered a hull breach approximately 140 nautical miles east of Varna, causing it to take on water rapidly.

The crew, consisting of ten Ukrainian sailors, issued a distress signal around 13:00 local time and abandoned the vessel in two life rafts.

The first responders to reach the crew were from the Turkish platform supply vessel Murat Ilhan, operating near the Sakarya gas field. The sailors were taken aboard in good condition and later disembarked at the Port of Filyos in Zonguldak province, northern Turkey.

Other assets involved in the rescue included a Bulgarian Navy helicopter, the corvette Bodri which was placed on standby, a Bulgarian border patrol boat, and a Romanian vessel.

Per reports, the coordinated efforts among these forces ensured the operation was completed swiftly, and there was no need for air evacuation as the crew were in good condition. Investigators are working to determine the exact cause of the sinking.

Preliminary information shows that EILEEN, owned by a Ukrainian company, was more than 30 years old. The vessel had several technical inspections in 2025, including the most recent in Izmail, which reportedly found multiple malfunctions.

In late August 2025, Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian Navy’s medium reconnaissance ship Simferopol, causing one death and several injuries.

Reference: Bulgarian Navy