A cargo ship sank following a drone attack in the Black Sea near Bulgaria’s coast on Tuesday, leaving 11 sailors missing and five rescued. The incident marks the second fatal shipwreck linked to drone attacks in the area within a week, prompting Bulgaria to summon Russia’s ambassador for an explanation.
Bulgarian officials said two commercial vessels were struck by drones overnight on October 12–13. The sunken ship was identified by local media as the Azov Concord, which went down near the coastal village of Krapets. Its Turkish-based management company could not immediately be reached for comment. (Reuters)
Bulgaria Seeks Answers Over the Attacks
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev condemned the incident, describing another attack near the country’s territorial waters as “absolutely unacceptable.”
Although Sofia has not presented conclusive evidence identifying those responsible, Radev said the outcome of the attacks appeared to benefit Russia. He announced that the Russian ambassador would be summoned and that Bulgaria would seek greater support for monitoring its maritime areas and airspace.
Moscow had not issued an immediate public response to the latest incidents. Bulgarian officials said an investigation was needed to establish the origin of the drones. (AP News)
Second Vessel Also Hit
The second vessel, the Maltese-flagged Chelsea 3, was struck by three drones, according to Bulgarian authorities. All 15 crew members were rescued. The crew included seven Ukrainian and eight Azerbaijani nationals.
Five crew members received medical attention, but none was reported to have suffered serious injuries. The ship sustained damage during the attack.
The incidents have raised fresh concerns about the safety of commercial shipping in the Black Sea, a strategically important route for regional trade and agricultural exports. (Al Jazeera)
Another Ship Sank Last Week
The latest incident follows a similar attack on October 6, when drones struck two commercial vessels in Bulgaria’s Black Sea exclusive economic zone. One ship sank, leaving 10 sailors—nine Syrian nationals and one Egyptian—missing. The crew of the other damaged vessel was rescued.
The repeated attacks have heightened concerns about the risks faced by civilian vessels operating near the Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, investigators have yet to establish conclusively who was responsible for the latest strikes.
Bulgaria, a NATO member on the Black Sea, is seeking international cooperation to strengthen maritime surveillance and protect commercial shipping. The investigation is expected to be crucial in determining the origin of the drones and whether further security measures are required.
