SOFIA (BULGARIA): Drones struck two ships off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast overnight, sinking one, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said Tuesday, adding that while there is no clear evidence, “logic” suggests the attacks benefit Russia.
“We do not have solid and clear evidence to make accusations against either side, but logic, as I have already stated, indicates that the result benefits the Russian Federation. That is why today I will summon Ambassador Mitrofanova for a conversation,” Radev said after an emergency meeting of the government’s Security Council.
The strikes are the second wave of drone attacks on merchant ships near Bulgarian waters in a week, after the sinking of the Alfa Watan on Oct. 6, as the Russia-Ukraine war spills deeper into Black Sea shipping lanes.
Chelsea 3 hit by three drones
Radev said a distress signal was received at 1:30 a.m. (10:30 p.m. GMT) from a ship 18 nautical miles east of the town of Byala, which the crew said had been hit by three aerial drones on its deck and side.
Border police rescued all 15 crew members, seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis, from the Malta-flagged, Odesa-registered Chelsea 3, which Radev said is Ukrainian-owned. Five crew members were being treated for what authorities believe are light injuries, he said.
The 136-meter general cargo ship was sailing from the Turkish Black Sea port of Giresun to Giurgiulesti in Moldova, Bulgarian maritime outlet Maritime.
Radev said a second ship was hit 17 miles east of Krapets and sank, with one crew member rescued.
