Bulgarian authorities announced on Tuesday the loss of 11 people after two commercial ships were attacked by drones off the Bulgarian coast in the Black Sea, resulting in the sinking of one of them.
Details of the attacks and injuries
The spokesperson for the Dobrich region in northeastern Bulgaria told AFP: "According to the information we received from the rescue center... five people were rescued and 11 remain missing." The first strike occurred last night at a distance of 18 nautical miles east of the city of Balchik, where the cargo ship "Chelsea 3", flying the Maltese flag and owned by an Ukrainian entity, was hit by three drones that struck its deck and side.
All 15 crew members of the ship, including seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis, were evacuated to the port of Varna, where five of them are receiving medical care. The second strike targeted the ship "HS Dignity", flying the flag of Guinea-Bissau, at a distance of 17 nautical miles east of the town of Krabets, and led to its sinking, with five of its crew members rescued and the search continuing for 11 missing persons.
International reactions
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev described the attack as "completely unacceptable", confirming that he will discuss the incident with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, while Bulgaria requested technical assistance from the European Union and the European Maritime Safety Agency to identify the source of the attacks. For his part, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed that the Alliance will adjust its defensive arrangements on the Eastern Flank, according to developments in the security situation, confirming the continuation of monitoring and adapting deterrence and defense measures as needed.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also called for intensifying pressure on Russia, describing the Black Sea as a "lifeline for global food security", and accused Moscow of seeking to turn hunger into a weapon. The two attacks came a week after two commercial ships were struck in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, one of which sank and the other caught fire, amid an increase in drone-related incidents in Eastern European countries and the Black Sea region.
According to the maritime risk management group "Ambrey", at least 45 commercial ships have been attacked over the past twelve months in areas not previously classified as high-risk, reflecting the expansion of the conflict into areas further from the coasts of Russia and Ukraine.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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