Cargo Ship Sunk Off Bulgaria, Eleven Sailors Missing in Black Sea Drone Attacks

Two merchant ships were hit by drones in the early hours of Tuesday off Bulgaria's northern Black Sea coast, and one of them sank, leaving eleven sailors missing and search teams working through the day in rough seas.

The first vessel, a Malta-flagged, Ukrainian-owned cargo ship called Chelsea Three, was struck by three drones at around half past one in the morning, about eighteen nautical miles east of Byala. It sent its distress signal at about quarter past one. Bulgarian border police launched their rescue at about quarter to three, had the whole crew aboard their vessel before five, and brought them ashore at Varna a little after seven. All fifteen crew members were rescued — seven Ukrainian and eight Azerbaijani — and five were treated for minor injuries.

The second ship sank about seventeen nautical miles east of the village of Krapets, close to the Romanian border. It was carrying a crew of sixteen. Five were rescued by other merchant vessels, and eleven are still missing, with Bulgarian naval and coast guard teams searching for them. Bulgarian officials have not settled the ship's identity in public reporting. It is the second cargo vessel sunk in the area in a week, and officials said the search for the missing eleven would continue while there is any chance of finding them.

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Rumen Radev called the attacks absolutely unacceptable and held an emergency meeting of his security council. Sofia summoned Russia's ambassador, and Bulgaria has asked NATO and the European Union for help with the investigation and with surveillance. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance stands ready to adjust its presence in the Black Sea if needed. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the attacks and called the sea another front of escalation in the war in Ukraine, while Ukraine's foreign minister described the waterway as a lifeline for global food security and blamed Moscow directly.

Radev was careful on blame, saying there is no clear evidence yet of who launched the drones, although he said the outcome benefits Russia. Nobody has claimed the attack, and the investigation is still open. The Black Sea is the route that carries much of the region's grain and fuel to the world, which is why attacks on civilian shipping land so hard.

From the October 14 episode of The World Briefing Room.