President: Bulgaria Strongly Condemns the Latest Drone Attacks on Commercial Ships in the Black Sea

In the early hours on October 13, two merchant ships were attacked again in the adjacent zone of the Republic of Bulgaria in the Black Sea. The Maltese-flagged vessel 'Chelsea 3' was hit by three unmanned aerial vehicles 17 nautical miles east of the city of Varna, while the Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel 'HS Dignity' sank 15 nautical miles east of Krapets.

Following the swift response of the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Varna, the entire crew of the first vessel was rescued, as well as the sailors from the second ship. All efforts by the Bulgarian state, with the involvement of the Armed Forces, Border Police and the Executive Agency Maritime Administration, are focused on searching for and rescuing survivors. This was stated in a position issued by the press secretariat of the head of state.

Bulgaria strongly condemns the latest attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea, describing them as a flagrant violation of international humanitarian and maritime law. Freedom of navigation and the security of supply chains are seriously threatened, posing a significant risk to Bulgaria. The escalation of the war has led to an increase in incidents near the Bulgarian coast and is turning the Black Sea into a war zone, the statement said.

The situation requires Bulgaria, together with its allies and partners, to make every effort to ensure a swift investigation into the incidents and to de-escalate the conflict through diplomacy and negotiations. The recommendations made at the Consultative Council for National Security meeting held on 7 October 2026 should be implemented as a matter of urgency.

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