Merchant ships attacked again in the Black Sea near Bulgaria

Drones attacked two merchant ships in the Black Sea near the Bulgarian coast, sinking one of them. This is the second such incident in the past week, Reuters reported, citing Bulgarian officials.

The Chelsea 3, owned by a Ukrainian company and sailing under the Maltese flag, was attacked by three drones approximately 18 nautical miles (33 km) off the Bulgarian coast at around 1:30 a.m. local time. The vessel sustained damage, but all 15 crew members, including seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis, were rescued. Five sailors received medical assistance, with no serious injuries reported.

The second vessel sank following the attack. Bulgarian authorities reported that one of its crew members had been rescued. Officials in Sofia condemned the latest strikes near the country’s territorial waters as unacceptable and announced plans to discuss the situation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Bulgarian authorities noted that there was currently no clear evidence identifying those responsible for the attacks, although they believed the consequences benefited Russia.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that Russia was behind the attacks. According to him, strikes on civilian merchant vessels near Bulgaria’s territorial waters demonstrate Russia’s disregard for maritime safety and the lives of civilian sailors. He called on international partners to increase sanctions pressure on Moscow and take measures to protect freedom of navigation in the Black Sea.

On October 6, merchant vessels, including ALFA WATAN and ABLE, were also attacked near the Bulgarian coast. The repeated incidents are increasing risks to commercial shipping in the Black Sea, including grain and vegetable oil transportation.

Tags: Bulgaria, Black Sea region, war, Black Sea grain corridor, Ukraine, Russia