Two commercial ships were attacked by drones off Bulgaria’s coast on Tuesday, and at least one vessel sank, Bulgaria’s state information service reported. Prime Minister Rumen Radev said the Maltese-flagged ship Chelsea 3 was attacked at about 1:30 am local time, approximately 18 nautical miles east of the coastal city of Byala. Reports did not provide further details about casualties or identify the second vessel.
What is known about the attack
Radev’s account identified Chelsea 3 as one of the ships targeted. The vessel was sailing under the flag of Malta when it was attacked, according to the prime minister. The reported location places the incident offshore from Byala, on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast.
The state information service said two commercial ships were attacked and that at least one sank. The available reports do not clarify whether Chelsea 3 was the ship that went down, or whether the second vessel was the one lost. They also do not say what happened to either ship after the attacks beyond confirming that at least one sank.
The incident was reported on Tuesday, but the available information gives no further timeline for when the vessels were located or when the sinking occurred. The attack time provided by Radev was approximately 1:30 am local time. No details were reported about the drones, including their number, origin or the manner in which they struck the ships.
Details remain limited
The reports did not specify whether anyone was killed, injured or missing. They also did not provide information about the number of people aboard either commercial ship, the vessels’ destinations, or the cargo they were carrying. Those details have not been established in the information made available in the reports.
The second ship’s name and flag were not given. The available accounts also do not say whether it sustained damage, remained afloat or was able to leave the area. While the state information service reported attacks on two vessels, Radev’s remarks quoted in the reports focused on the attack against Chelsea 3.
Accounts of the incident were published by Rato Pati, Khabarhub and Gorkhapatra Online. Their reports describe the same basic sequence: two commercial ships were attacked by drones near Bulgaria, and at least one vessel sank.
The reported location
The stated position, around 18 nautical miles east of Byala, puts the attack offshore rather than within the city. The reports provide no additional information about how close the vessels were to shore at the time, or whether other ships were in the vicinity. They also do not describe any response operation or say whether Bulgarian maritime services were involved.
For now, the confirmed public details are limited to the number of ships reported attacked, the sinking of at least one vessel, and Radev’s identification of Chelsea 3 and its approximate location and attack time. The identity and condition of the second ship, the fate of Chelsea 3, and any information about casualties remain unreported in the available accounts.
