Brief
Bulgaria reports drone strike sinks Ukrainian‑owned ship near Black Sea coast
Two vessels were hit by drones off Bulgaria, with the Ukrainian‑owned Chelsea 3 sinking and its crew rescued, officials say.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Prime Minister Rumen Radev said a drone attack on Tuesday morning sank the Ukrainian‑owned cargo ship Chelsea 3 about 18 nautical miles off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast.
The vessel, sailing under a Maltese flag, was struck by three drones at roughly 01:30 a.m. local time. Its 15‑person crew – seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis – was rescued, with five receiving medical aid and no serious injuries reported. One crew member from the sinking ship was also rescued.
Radev called the incident “absolutely unacceptable” and said he would speak with NATO Secretary‑General Jens Stoltenberg. He added there was no clear evidence of who carried out the attack, but noted the outcome benefits Russia and that Bulgaria would summon the Russian ambassador.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the attacks, describing the Black Sea as “another front of escalation” in the Russian‑Ukraine war and urging accountability.
Key facts
- The Ukrainian‑owned ship Chelsea 3 was hit by three drones and sank off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast. (aljazeera.com)
- The attack occurred at about 01:30 a.m. local time, 18 nautical miles (33 km) from the coast. (aljazeera.com)
- All 15 crew members were rescued; five received medical assistance, none were seriously injured. (aljazeera.com)
- Prime Minister Rumen Radev called the attack "absolutely unacceptable" and will summon the Russian ambassador. (aljazeera.com)
- EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the drone attacks on merchant ships near Bulgaria. (aljazeera.com)
Sources
- [1] aljazeera.com — originally reported as “Drone attack sinks ship off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, PM says”
