Drones hit two ships off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast; one sinks
The crew of the Maltese-flagged Chelsea 3 was evacuated, while Bulgarian authorities said they had not established where the drones came from.
Two merchant ships were struck by drones off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast on October 13, and one sank, according to Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev. The strikes left crews needing rescue and the drones’ origin unconfirmed.
The Maltese-flagged Chelsea 3 was hit by three drones. All 15 crew members, seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis, were evacuated; five received medical attention for minor injuries.
One crew member from the ship that sank was reported rescued. BGNES said the ship’s identity, the number of people aboard and the status of the remaining crew had not been confirmed in the information it reviewed.
Radev said authorities did not have conclusive evidence of where the drones came from. He said Bulgaria would seek international assistance and planned talks with Russia’s ambassador and NATO’s secretary general.
Sources and context
- Explosion heard in Kyiv, Ukrainian port struck by dronesReuters (republished by RTÉ)
- Two Ships Struck by Drones in the Black Sea, Radev to Hold Talks with Russian Ambassador and NATO Secretary GeneralBGNES
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