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Two cargo ships came under attack off Bulgaria overnight on October 13, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said. The crew of the Ukrainian-owned Chelsea 3 was evacuated, with five sailors reported to have minor injuries; one person was rescued from the second ship, which sank. Bulgaria plans to summon Russia’s ambassador, but Radev said there is not yet clear evidence to identify those responsible.
Two cargo ships came under attack by drones in the Black Sea off Bulgaria overnight on October 13, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said, with one vessel sinking and sailors reported injured. Sofia plans to summon Russian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova, but Radev said Bulgaria does not yet have solid, unambiguous evidence to accuse anyone of carrying out the attacks.
Three drones struck the Chelsea 3, a Ukrainian-owned cargo ship sailing under the Maltese flag, about 18 nautical miles (roughly 33 kilometers) east of Byala, according to Radev. All 15 crew members were evacuated: seven Ukrainian citizens and eight Azerbaijani citizens. Preliminary reports said five sailors sustained minor injuries.
A second ship sank about 17 nautical miles east of the village of Krapets. One crew member was rescued, Radev said. The report did not identify the vessel, give its flag or ownership, or say how many people were aboard before it sank.
Radev said Bulgaria intends to summon Russian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova over the attacks. He also said he had a call scheduled with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The planned diplomatic steps do not amount to a finding of responsibility: the prime minister said evidence was not yet sufficient to make an accusation.
Risks to Black Sea Shipping
The attacks put civilian commercial vessels and their crews at risk near Bulgaria’s coast, a NATO member’s Black Sea shoreline. The reported injuries, evacuation and sinking show the immediate human and maritime consequences, while the identities and nationalities of the crew members highlight that the danger extends beyond the vessel’s owner or flag state.
The incident also adds to pressure on Bulgaria to respond while the available evidence remains incomplete. Summoning the Russian ambassador and arranging contact with NATO’s secretary general signal diplomatic concern; neither action, by itself, establishes who launched the drones. Any confirmed attribution could affect regional relations and security discussions, but that determination has not been made in the available reporting.
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A Second Reported Attack
The attacks reported on October 13 came about a week after drones struck two other cargo ships off Bulgaria’s coast, according to the source report. The earlier vessels were about 110 kilometers (68 miles) from shore; one crew was evacuated and the other ship sank. Reuters reported that the earlier episode was the first known drone attack on civilian ships in Bulgarian waters since Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine began.
The incidents raise questions about the safety of commercial traffic in the Black Sea, where civilian shipping operates amid the war. The earlier attacks provide context for Bulgaria’s latest response, but the available reports do not establish whether the incidents are connected or who was responsible for either episode.
“Russia’s latest attack on commercial vessels near Bulgaria’s territorial waters, which injured Ukrainian and Azerbaijani citizens, once again demonstrates Moscow’s deliberate disregard for civilian lives and maritime security in the Black Sea.”
— Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha
maritime drone surveillance camera
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Responsibility and Damage Remain Unclear
Who carried out the attacks has not been established in the source material. Radev said Bulgaria lacked solid and unambiguous evidence to make accusations, even as he argued that Russia could benefit. Sybiha directly attributed the attacks to Russia; that is the Ukrainian foreign minister’s claim, not a publicly established finding in the report.
Further details also remain unavailable, including the identity and flag of the ship that sank, the condition of the rescued crew member, the full extent of damage to the Chelsea 3, and the precise circumstances of the strikes. The available information does not say what type of drones were used or whether the October 13 incidents are linked to the attacks reported a week earlier.
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Diplomatic Contacts and Investigation
Bulgaria plans to summon Russia’s ambassador, and Radev said he had a scheduled call with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The source report does not specify when those contacts will take place or what response Bulgaria or NATO may announce afterward.
Further information is needed from Bulgarian authorities and maritime responders to clarify the ships’ damage, the rescued crew member’s condition and the evidence collected. Until authorities provide more details, attribution and any connection between the separate incidents remain unsettled.
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Key Questions
What happened to the two cargo ships?
Three drones struck the Chelsea 3, which was evacuated. A second cargo ship sank east of Krapets, and one crew member from it was rescued.
Were there injuries?
Preliminary reports said five sailors on the Chelsea 3 sustained minor injuries. The report did not give the condition of the person rescued from the sunken ship.
Has Bulgaria blamed Russia?
No formal attribution was reported. Radev said there was not yet solid, unambiguous evidence to accuse anyone. Ukraine’s foreign minister blamed Russia, while Radev said Russia could benefit from the attacks.
What is Bulgaria planning to do?
Bulgaria intends to summon Russian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova. Radev also said he had a call scheduled with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Were there earlier attacks on ships off Bulgaria?
Yes. The report says two other cargo ships were attacked about a week earlier, roughly 110 kilometers from shore. One crew was evacuated and the other vessel sank; whether those attacks are connected to the latest incident is unknown.
Source: rss
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