Drone Attack on Ships in the Black Sea: 8 Citizens of Azerbaijan Rescued

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced new drone attacks on vessels in the Black Sea, calling them "absolutely unacceptable." An emergency meeting of the Security Council under the Council of Ministers was convened.

Footage from the meeting was published on the Prime Minister's Facebook page.

Radev reported that a vessel located 18 nautical miles east of the city of Byala was attacked by three drones, and another vessel located 17 nautical miles east of Krapets was struck and sank; one crew member was rescued.

These incidents occurred a week after two vessels were attacked by naval and aerial drones in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea, prompting President Iliana Yotova to convene the Consultative Council on National Security.

Radev stated that Bulgaria is once again conducting an emergency search and rescue operation in connection with the vessel incident in the Black Sea. According to him, a distress signal from the vessel located 18 nautical miles east of Byala was received on Tuesday at 01:30 local time. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Varna immediately responded to the call. According to crew testimony, the vessel's deck and hull were struck by three aerial drones.

"Our emergency response forces were immediately deployed. A Border Police crew rescued everyone on board: seven Ukrainian citizens and eight Azerbaijani citizens," Radev said.

The vessel in question is the Chelsea 3, which sails under the Maltese flag, is registered in Odessa, and is owned by a Ukrainian owner.

The crew was successfully brought to the port of Varna just minutes before Radev's statement, he added. Five crew members were receiving medical treatment for injuries that, according to information available to the authorities, do not pose a serious health threat.

"Yet another attack on commercial vessels in the immediate vicinity of Bulgaria's territorial waters is absolutely unacceptable. Our permanent representatives to NATO and the European Union have been informed. I plan to have a conversation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte," Radev said.

Bulgaria continues to seek support in investigating the attacks on three vessels that occurred last week in order to precisely determine which country the drones that attacked vessels near Bulgarian territorial waters belonged to. "We will also continue to request and insist on receiving assistance to strengthen the monitoring of our airspace and maritime space, as well as to enhance our response capabilities," the Prime Minister said.

"We do not have firm and clear evidence to bring accusations against any of the parties. However, as I have said before, the logic of the situation points to the fact that such an outcome benefits the Russian Federation. Therefore, today I will summon Ambassador Mitrofanova for a meeting," Radev said.