New drone attacks target two ships off the Bulgarian coast, one sinks

Two commercial ships were attacked by drones in the Black Sea near the Bulgarian coast within a few hours overnight on October 13. The first vessel, Chelsea 3, sailing under the Maltese flag, was hit approximately 15 nautical miles off the coast near Byala. According to the initial information, 12 people were injured, and rescue operations were launched.

A second ship was attacked approximately 17 nautical miles east of Krapets and sank. Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced the accident during an emergency meeting of the Security Council at the Council of Ministers. One crew member was rescued.

The attacks prompted an emergency response from the Bulgarian authorities. Radev described the acidents as unacceptable and said Bulgaria would seek assistance from its partners to investigate the attacks, establish the origin of the drones and strengthen surveillance of the country’s airspace and maritime areas.

Bulgaria also sought support from the European Union and NATO. Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova said she had contacted the country’s partners to request assistance with the investigation and enhanced monitoring. She stressed that the security of the Black Sea is inseparable from Europe’s security and that protecting civilian crews and freedom of navigation must remain a priority.