Eleven crew members are missing after two merchant vessels were struck by drones off the Bulgarian coast on Tuesday, with five rescued from the sunken HS Dignity and all 15 crew of the Chelsea 3 recovered. The HS Dignity, flagged by Guinea‑Bissau, sank 17 nautical miles east of Krapets, carrying a crew of Syrian and Egyptian nationals on a voyage from Algeria to Braila. The Chelsea 3, a Ukrainian‑owned cargo ship, was hit 16 nautical miles east of Byala, its crew of seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis rescued unharmed.
Rumen Radev, in a televised address, described the attacks as "unacceptable" and strongly suggested the drones were Russian, calling for accountability. He summoned the Russian ambassador to the capital the same day, marking the first time Bulgaria has directly blamed Russia for a strike on its waters. Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov echoed Radev’s sentiment, dismissing the notion of Ukrainian involvement and reinforcing the Russian drone hypothesis.
NATO’s Secretary‑General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance would "adjust its defences as needed," adding that it had already strengthened its eastern flank posture. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the incidents as "another front of escalation" in the Russian war in Ukraine. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga blamed Russia, decrying Moscow’s "deliberate disregard for civilian lives and maritime security" and warning that the Black Sea is being weaponised to hold the world hostage.
The attacks arrive amid a sharp rise in maritime incidents; Ambrey reports that 45 merchant vessels have been struck in the Black Sea over the past 12 months, the first time the region outside the immediate Russian‑Ukrainian coast has seen such a spike. No attacks were recorded in these zones a year earlier, underscoring a new pattern of risk far from the front lines.
The Bulgarian Helsinki Committee and Lawyers for Human Rights have called for an immediate war‑crime investigation, citing the missing crew and the unexplained nature of the strikes. They urge prosecutors to examine whether the attacks violate international maritime law and the laws of armed conflict.
Investigations are now underway, with Bulgarian authorities coordinating with international partners. A preliminary review of drone footage and maritime traffic data is expected to clarify attribution, while NATO monitors the situation for any escalation in the Black Sea.