Two merchant ships were attacked off Bulgaria’s coast overnight into Oct. 13, according to a report by local news agency BGNES, which cited information discussed at an emergency meeting of Bulgaria’s Security Council that was held on Oct. 13. Prime Minister Rumen Radev said Bulgarian authorities had no evidence linking the strikes to any particular country; however, he added that Russian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova would be summoned for an explanation. A week earlier, two other merchant ships were attacked in Bulgarian waters, with authorities in Sofia saying then that they also could not determine which country was responsible.
The cargo ship Chelsea 3, sailing under the Maltese flag and registered in Odesa, was attacked by three drones while it was located approximately 18 nautical miles east of the Bulgarian town of Byala. A distress signal was received at around 1:30 a.m. All 15 crew members — seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis — were evacuated and taken to Varna. Five sailors suffered minor injuries.
During the Security Council meeting, officials also disclosed that another merchant ship had been attacked about 17 nautical miles east of the coastal village of Krapets; that ship later sank. Preliminary information indicated that one crew member was rescued.
Radev said “another attack on merchant vessels in the immediate vicinity of Bulgarian territorial waters is absolutely unacceptable,” but added that Sofia had no evidence establishing the origin of the drones and therefore could not assign responsibility to a specific country. He said Bulgaria would nevertheless seek an explanation from Russian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova. Radev explained:
“The logic of what is happening indicates that the outcome of these attacks benefits the Russian Federation.”
A week earlier, on Oct. 6, two civilian merchant ships were attacked by drones in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone: the Togo-flagged Alfa Watan and the Palau-flagged Able. The crew of the Able was evacuated, while search and rescue operations Alfa Watan produced no results. On Oct. 7, Bulgarian authorities called off the efforts.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at the time that Russia was behind the attack. Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov, however, said Sofia could not confirm whether the drones were Russian or Ukrainian. He also described Bulgaria as being caught up in the hybrid war between Russia and Ukraine.
