Drones strike ships in Black Sea near Bulgaria
Drones struck two ships in the Black Sea off Bulgaria on Tuesday, sinking one and prompting emergency rescue operations, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said, reports BritPanorama.
Rescuers evacuated all 15 crew members from the Maltese-flagged Chelsea 3, with five receiving treatment for minor injuries, Radev reported in a video posted on social media.
The crew included seven Ukrainian citizens and eight Azerbaijani citizens, who indicated that the ship’s deck and hull were struck by three aerial drones.
One crew member from the sunken vessel was rescued, according to Radev, who did not provide further details on the fate of the remaining crew. The strikes took place 18 and 17 miles (29 and 27.5 kilometers) from the Bulgarian coast.
During an emergency meeting of Bulgaria’s Security Council, Radev condemned the attacks as “absolutely unacceptable” and stated that Bulgaria would seek assistance from NATO and the European Union.
While authorities lack clear evidence on the attackers, Radev suggested that logic points to the Russian Federation as being responsible for the drone strikes.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, in a post on X, attributed the attacks to Russia, saying, “Russia’s latest attack on commercial vessels near Bulgaria’s territorial waters, which injured Ukrainian and Azerbaijani citizens, once again demonstrates Moscow’s deliberate disregard for civilian lives and maritime security in the Black Sea.”
He urged Ukraine’s partners to increase pressure on Russia, strengthen sanctions, and take decisive action to uphold freedom of navigation.
“The Black Sea is a lifeline for global food security. Russia is attacking it to weaponize hunger and hold the world hostage. This must be met with strength,” Sybiha asserted.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen “strongly condemned” the drone incidents, labeling the Black Sea as “another front of escalation” in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“This is unacceptable. I strongly condemn the drone attacks on merchant ships near Bulgaria’s coast. Putting the lives of the crew in grave danger and threatening security in the Black Sea,” she stated on X.
“We stand with Bulgaria and thank its rescuers for their swift response. Those responsible should be held accountable,” she added.
These attacks followed closely on the heels of similar incidents, with sea and aerial drones targeting two commercial vessels in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone the previous week, resulting in the sinking of a Togo-flagged ship and the evacuation of a Palau-flagged vessel’s 18-member crew.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine’s military had not conducted operations near the locations of the recent drone strikes and placed the blame squarely on Russia.
Additionally, a day earlier, a Turkish-owned cargo ship carrying corn caught fire after a drone attack and subsequently sank off the coast of Romania, resulting in two fatalities and the rescue of 11 crew members, according to Romanian authorities.
Russia did not provide immediate comment regarding Tuesday’s incident. Radev mentioned plans to summon the Russian ambassador to Bulgaria, Eleonora Mitrofanova, for a discussion.
