Drone strike off Bulgaria sinks cargo ship
Two ships were hit in the Black Sea; Bulgaria says it does not know who was behind the attack.
Follow-up to: Drones hit two ships off Bulgarian coast Tuesday, 13 October 2026, 09:28
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A cargo ship sank on Tuesday after drones struck two vessels off the Bulgarian coast. The crew of a second ship was evacuated; Bulgaria is seeking support from NATO and the European Union.
The new development is that one of the affected ships has sunk. According to Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev, the Maltese-flagged Chelsea 3 was also hit by three drones approximately 33 kilometres off the coast. Its fifteen crew members were rescued; five people received medical assistance.
Earlier reports had already established that two ships near the Bulgarian coast had been attacked. The Bulgarian authorities had not yet reported that a ship had sunk. The attacks took place overnight from Monday to Tuesday, in Bulgaria’s economic zone in the Black Sea.
According to Radev, at least one crew member from the sunken ship was rescued. At the time of publication, no complete overview of the other people on board was available. The authorities have provided no details about that ship’s nationality, flag or cargo.
It has not been established who used the drones. Radev said there was no clear evidence of the perpetrator, but did say that the outcome benefits Russia. Bulgaria has announced that it will summon the Russian ambassador; that is a diplomatic response, not evidence of Russian involvement.
The attack comes shortly after a similar incident in the same area. Ships were also hit then, and it remained unclear who was responsible. The repetition increases concerns about the safety of commercial shipping in a maritime area where Russia and Ukraine are at war.
Bulgaria is a member of NATO and lies on the western shore of the Black Sea. Sofia wants to discuss with its allies how shipping and the coast can be better protected. The events could therefore affect military vigilance, insurance and shipping routes, but there has not yet been a decision on a joint response.
The available information comes mainly from the Bulgarian government and news agencies. An investigation into what happened is under way; claims about the responsible party should therefore be treated as unconfirmed.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Two ships were hit by drones off the Bulgarian coast.
- One ship sank and the crew of Chelsea 3 was rescued.
- Bulgaria says it does not know who carried out the attack.
- Bulgaria wants support and discussions with NATO and the European Union.
Left
Arguments The first priority is protecting crews and trade routes and pursuing diplomatic de-escalation. Without evidence, an incident should not automatically lead to further military escalation.
Values International law, protection of civilians and restraint in the use of military force.
Consequences Greater attention to rescue capacity, maritime monitoring and diplomacy could limit risks, but could also be seen as less deterring.
Centre
Arguments Allies should establish the facts jointly while taking practical steps to protect shipping. A proportionate NATO and EU response could provide security without prejudging the question of responsibility.
Values Collective security, evidentiary standards and institutional cooperation.
Consequences That requires additional patrols, information-sharing and potentially higher costs for governments and carriers.
Right
Arguments Repeated attacks on commercial ships call, according to this approach, for visible deterrence and a firm response. Uncertainty about the perpetrator must not mean that the risks go unanswered.
Values National security, military credibility and protection of trade interests.
Consequences A greater military presence could deter attacks, but would also increase the risk of retaliation and further regionalisation of the conflict.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The core facts are reported independently by AP and Reuters. Possible Russian involvement is explicitly presented as an unproven claim by the Bulgarian prime minister.
- confirmed Two ships were hit by drones off the Bulgarian coast on 13 October. — Reported by AP and Reuters. source
- confirmed One of the ships sank. — Reported by AP and Reuters. source
- confirmed The crew of Chelsea 3 consisted of fifteen people and was rescued. — Reported by AP and Reuters. source
- confirmed Five crew members received medical assistance. — Reported by AP. source
- confirmed There is no clear evidence of who carried out the attack. — Radev stated this, according to Reuters. source
- confirmed The attack took place overnight from Monday to Tuesday. — The time and date are given in reports by AP and Reuters. source
Editor's note
The drone attacks, the sinking of one ship and the rescue of the Chelsea 3 crew have been confirmed. The perpetrator and the condition of all those aboard the sunken ship remain uncertain.Sources
The story so far
- Tuesday, 13 October 2026, 09:28 Drones hit two ships off Bulgarian coast
- Tuesday, 13 October 2026, 11:28 Drone strike off Bulgaria sinks cargo ship (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- De Telegraaf — „zwarte zee”
- AD — „zwarte zee”
- de Volkskrant — „zwarte zee”