Using "Border Police" boats, authorities brought the crew of one ship and some of the sailors from the second ship ashore; 11 others are still missing
Снимка: Ministry of Interior
Two more ships were hit by drones inm tghe early hours on October 13 in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea. The attacks prompted an immediate response from the Bulgarian authorities. Prime Minister Rumen Radev spoke to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, calling for support to stop attacks on merchant ships. Later, the Prime Minister summoned Russian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova.
Before taking these diplomatic steps, Bulgaria had already launched a rescue operation during the night. Border Police patrol boats brought ashore the crew of one vessel and some of the sailors from the second. The search for 11 other sailors is still under way.
Over the past eight days, four merchant ships have been hit by drones in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone. Two of them sank, and a total of 23 sailors have died.
Four of the survivors from the HS Dignity, which sank off Krapets, are expected to arrive at Varna Maritime Station. Due to rough seas, the operation to transfer them to a Border Police patrol boat could not go ahead. They remain aboard the vessels that rescued them, which are heading towards Varna. The fifth sailor rescued by a Danish ship remains on board that vessel, which is staying in the area to search for other survivors among the 11 people still missing.
Both ships were sailing just a few nautical miles from Bulgaria’s territorial waters. The first distress call came from the Chelsea 3 at 1.15am. The rescue operation began immediately. A Border Police patrol boat was dispatched to the vessel and evacuated the entire crew despite the rough seas. The sailors were taken to Varna. They said their ship had been attacked by three drones, which struck its deck and side.
“A Russian drone, a drone.
— A Russian drone?
- A Russian drone. A drone hit us three times—a Russian drone.”
“We were hit. Three underwater drones. Thank God there was no fire. The ship is still afloat, and we are all alive and well.”
Several hours later, the HS Dignity was also attacked by drones. It sank 17 nautical miles off the coast near Krapets. Only five crew members were rescued by vessels in the area. Another 11 remain missing. The explosion was so powerful that it was heard by residents of Shabla and nearby villages.
Dimitrichka Trifonova, resident of Krapets: “How can we not be worried? It is worrying because the first houses in Krapets are only 20 to 30 metres from the sea. This is a concern for everyone, because the drones might not just be at sea – they could also reach the village.”
Dimitar Mihaylov, resident of Vaklino: “It is very worrying. If something like that explodes here, it will cause even greater damage, and there will be no fish, nothing. Oil slicks will emerge and wash ashore.”
Dimitar Donev, resident of Krapets: “It’s war.”
A Border Police patrol boat was dispatched to the site where the ship sank off Krapets.
Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov, Director of the Border Police: “Without hesitation, our colleagues set out to rescue these five sailors who are currently in distress at sea, clinging to various objects.”
Three sailors from the Chelsea 3 were injured and admitted to the Naval Hospital in Varna for treatment. Two suffered second-degree burns, while the third sustained a minor traumatic brain injury. The rescue operation was carried out in poor weather conditions. BNT spoke exclusively to the captain of the patrol boat involved in the operation.
Inspector Ivan Ivanov, captain of the Border Police patrol boat Burgas: “The sea was extremely rough, around force four, and visibility was poor. They said the ship had been hit by three sea drones and reported that they had probably seen one of them. They were frightened and very tired.”
Assistant navigator Georgi Chernev, Border Police patrol boat Burgas: “There was a huge hole in the stern of the ship. It was listing heavily to port.”
Chief Commissioner Lyubomir Nikolov, Acting Chief Secretary of the Interior Ministry: “In extremely rough seas, and risking their lives, Border Police officers immediately reached the vessel, which had most likely been hit by three drones, and rescued all 15 sailors.”
The Chelsea 3 sails under the Maltese flag. It is registered in Odesa and is owned by a Ukrainian company.
Mario Smyrkov, Varna Regional Governor: “The Chelsea 3 has not sunk; it was empty. It was travelling from Türkiye to Moldova. On the previous leg of its journey, it had transported grain – sunflower seeds – from Moldova to Türkiye. It was returning from Türkiye to Moldova.”
The authorities are also discussing what measures should be taken to stop attacks on merchant ships near Bulgaria’s coast.
Chief Commissioner Lyubomir Nikolov, Acting Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Interior: “We are talking to our partners about possible assistance, primarily through funding and sharing expertise on equipping us with anti-drone systems and other protective equipment that could help us secure our Black Sea border.”
Photos: Ministry of the Interior, BTA, BGNES
The latest attacks show that strikes against merchant ships are taking place increasingly close to Bulgaria’s territorial waters.
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