Varna:Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced that two vessels were targeted by drone attacks off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, leading to the sinking of one ship. The incident occurred near the village of Krabats in Bulgaria’s Dobrich region, where one vessel was attacked approximately 17 nautical miles east and sank, with one crew member rescued.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Chelsea 3, a Malta-flagged vessel registered in Odesa and linked to Ukraine, was attacked by three drones about 18 nautical miles east of the Bulgarian coastal town of Byala. Rescue teams successfully evacuated all 15 crew members, consisting of seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis, to the Bulgarian port of Varna, with five receiving medical care.

Prime Minister Radev stated that Bulgaria had informed its NATO and European Union representatives about the attacks and requested assistance in investigating the origins of the drones. Although there is no conclusive evidence pointing to a responsible party, Radev suggested the situation might benefit Russia and planned to summon Russian Ambassador to Sofia, Eleonora Mitrofanova.

These incidents are part of a pattern of increasing drone attacks affecting vessels and maritime traffic in the Black Sea, amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Earlier attacks in October within Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone also resulted in a ship sinking and missing crew members.