13.10.2026 15:23
Two cargo ships were attacked by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast during the night. According to Bulgarian media, the ship Azov Concord, operated by Istanbul-based Sarfo Maritime, sank, 11 sailors went missing and 5 sailors were rescued. All 15 crew members aboard the Malta-flagged Chelsea 3 were rescued. Prime Minister Rumen Radev said there was no clear evidence, but the outcome played into Russia's hands.
For the second time in a week, commercial ships in the Black Sea have been targeted with UAVs. In Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, one of two ships hit on the night of October 13 sank, while search efforts continue to find the missing sailors.
SANK 17 MILES OFF KRAPETS
According to a statement by Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev, the second ship sank after being attacked 17 miles east of the village of Krapets in Dobrich Province. Bulgarian media reported that the sunken ship was the cargo vessel Azov Concord, flying the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and operated by Istanbul-based Sarfo Denizcilik.
Bulgarian authorities announced that 11 sailors aboard the ship were missing, while 5 sailors were rescued. According to a report by the Bulgarian news agency Novinite, the majority of the Azov Concord's crew were Syrian, and 3 were Egyptian. Reuters reported that the Turkey-based company operating the ship could not be reached.
CHELSEA 3 ATTACKED WITH 3 UAVS
Radev reported that the Malta-flagged ship Chelsea 3, belonging to a Ukrainian company, was targeted with 3 UAVs at around 1:30 a.m. local time. The entire crew of 7 Ukrainians and 8 Azerbaijanis aboard the ship hit off Byala was rescued.
According to a statement by the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense, of the 3 sailors taken to the Naval Hospital in Varna, 2 were found to have second-degree burns and 1 had mild brain trauma. It was stated that the sailors' lives were not in danger. The ship that was attacked did not sink and was reported to be drifting without a crew.
SAILOR'S “RUSSIAN DRONE” CLAIM
Speaking to Bulgarian state television BNT, a sailor from the crew of Chelsea 3 claimed that a Russian UAV struck the ship 3 times. This claim has not been verified by independent sources.
RADEV: WE HAVE NO CLEAR EVIDENCE, BUT LOGIC POINTS TO RUSSIA
After the attacks, Radev convened an emergency security meeting and described the events as “absolutely unacceptable.” Stating that there was no clear evidence as to who was behind the attack, Radev argued that logic indicated the conclusion was in favor of the Russian Federation. Radev announced that NATO and European Union (EU) representatives had been informed and that he would meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova, for her part, described the attacks as a “brazen violation” of international law and announced that they were seeking help to determine where the UAVs came from. According to Reuters, while Bulgaria avoided directly accusing Russia, it summoned Russia's Ambassador to Sofia to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
REACTION FROM THE EU AND UKRAINE
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the Black Sea was turning into an “escalation front” and said those responsible must be held accountable. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, meanwhile, claimed that the attack showed Moscow's deliberate disregard for civilian lives. There has been no statement from Russia on the matter yet.
SECOND ATTACK IN ONE WEEK
On October 6, the Togo-flagged Alfa Watan and the Palau-flagged Able were also hit by UAVs in the region. Alfa Watan, one of the ships operated by Turkey-based companies, sank, and 9 Syrian and 1 Egyptian sailor aboard were missing. The 18-member crew of Able was rescued.
DIFFERENT CLAIM: AZOV CONCORD JOINED THE RESCUE
Türkiye Today, in a report published in the morning, claimed based on its sources that Azov Concord was not hit and that it took part in a rescue operation for the crew of another ship that had sunk. A maritime source suggested that the sunken ship might have been HS Dignity. Bulgarian authorities and international agencies, however, stated in later announcements that the sunken ship was Azov Concord.