Drones hit more merchant ships off Bulgaria - media
The merchant ship Chelsea 3, sailing under the Maltese flag and registered at the port of Odesa, was attacked by three aerial drones about 15 nautical miles from the city of Byala, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said, Bulgarian National Radio reported.
Three drones attacked the merchant ship Chelsea 3, a 136-meter vessel sailing under the Maltese flag and registered at Odesa, approximately 15 nautical miles from Byala, according to Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev. The incident was reported at 1:30 am, prompting the evacuation of all 15 crew members to Varna. Seven crew members were Ukrainian, while eight were Azeri.
Five seamen sustained injuries and received medical attention. The ship had departed from Giresun, Turkey, and was bound for Giurgiulesti, carrying cargo destined for Moldova. Currently, the ship is adrift off Cape St. Athanasius, with its crew absent. This marks the third drone attack on merchant ships near Bulgaria's territorial waters in the Black Sea, following incidents involving the Alfa Watan and Able ships in early October.
Prime Minister Radev expressed strong condemnation of such actions, emphasizing that any further attack on merchant ships in Bulgarian waters is intolerable. An emergency Security Council meeting was convened in light of the latest incident, with the ship's sinking about 17 nautical miles east of Kropets resulting in the rescue of a single crew member.
Radev plans to discuss the matter with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and summon the Russian Ambassador to Sofia, Eleonora Mitrofanova.
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- 'Absolutely unacceptable' — Commercial vessel hit by drones near Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, says Prime Minister Radev kyivindependent.com
- Drones strike Malta-flagged ship off the coast of Bulgaria; Ukraine’s FM responds english.nv.ua
- Two ships hit by drones in Black Sea, one sank, Bulgaria's PM says euronews.com
