Black Sea shipping under fire: Two more ships hit as attacks spread
One vessel reportedly sunk and 11 crew missing after drone strikes 18 nautical miles off Bulgaria’s coast
Two merchant vessels came under drone attack off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast early Tuesday, marking a dangerous escalation in the region’s maritime conflict. One ship was reportedly sunk, while rescue operations continue for missing crewmembers.
The Chelsea 3, a Maltese-flagged general cargo ship owned by Ukrainian interests, was struck by three aerial drones around 1:30 AM local time, approximately 18 nautical miles east of Byala. Bulgarian border police rescued all 15 crewmembers—seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis—and transported them to Varna. Eight were taken to hospital, including three with burn injuries, though none sustained life-threatening harm.
Bulgarian leadership seeks NATO and EU support: Black Sea
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev condemned the attacks as “absolutely unacceptable” and announced plans to summon Russia’s ambassador while requesting assistance from NATO and the European Union. Though Radev refrained from directly blaming any party, he noted that the strikes appeared to align with Moscow’s strategic interests.
“We lack clear and conclusive evidence to attribute responsibility,” Radev stated. “However, the pattern suggests these attacks benefit the Russian Federation. Bulgaria will seek support to investigate the drone origins and bolster surveillance in the region.”
A second vessel, the St Kitts and Nevis-flagged Azov Concord, was reportedly sunk about 17 nautical miles east of Krapets. Five crewmembers were rescued by passing ships, but 11 remain missing. Bulgarian authorities later walked back initial reports of the sinking, stating the vessel’s fate had not been definitively confirmed.
Grain exports plummet amid rising maritime risks
The latest incidents follow a week after two other merchant ships were attacked in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone, part of a broader surge in Black Sea violence. The sinking of the Royad Mammadov off Romania last month claimed two lives, further destabilizing one of the world’s key grain export routes.
September saw Black Sea wheat loadings collapse to 1.6 million tonnes, a 78% drop compared to the same period last year. The attacks have disrupted commercial shipping, prompting insurers and shipowners to avoid the increasingly hazardous waters.
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