Drone Attacks Sink Cargo Ship Near Bulgaria, Leave 11 Missing as NATO Faces Growing Black Sea Threat

Two commercial vessels were struck by drones near Bulgaria’s territorial waters, leaving 11 sailors missing and prompting renewed calls for NATO to strengthen maritime security as authorities investigate possible Russian involvement.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

Drone strikes against two commercial vessels in the Black Sea left 11 crew members missing and one ship sunk Tuesday, October 13, escalating concerns about maritime security near NATO territory as Bulgaria called for an international response.

The attacks occurred just outside Bulgaria’s territorial waters, where commercial shipping has faced increasing threats amid the continuing war between Russia and Ukraine.

According to Reuters, the Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo vessel HS Dignity sank approximately 17 nautical miles off Bulgaria’s northeastern coast after being struck by a drone.

Five of the ship’s 16 crew members were rescued, while 11 remained missing as emergency teams searched the surrounding waters.

A second vessel, the Ukrainian-owned Chelsea 3, sailing under the Maltese flag, was struck by three aerial drones near Bulgaria’s eastern coastline.

All 15 crew members aboard the Chelsea 3, including seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijani nationals, were rescued and transported to the Bulgarian port of Varna.

Bulgarian authorities released footage showing rescue vessels approaching the damaged ship before dawn in rough seas.

Prime Minister Rumen Radev summoned Russia’s ambassador following the attacks, although Bulgarian officials acknowledged that investigators had not established conclusive evidence identifying those responsible.

“We lack solid, clear evidence to level accusations against any specific party. However … logic suggests the outcome works to the advantage of the Russian Federation,” Radev said.

Ukraine directly blamed Russia, accusing Moscow of deliberately threatening commercial shipping and international food supply routes.

Russian officials did not immediately acknowledge responsibility. Moscow’s ambassador to Bulgaria denied having information about the strikes and suggested that another party could have been involved.

The incidents came one week after two additional merchant vessels were attacked in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone, raising concerns about a sustained campaign against civilian maritime traffic.

In the earlier incidents, a Togo-flagged vessel sank following a drone strike, while rescuers evacuated the crew of another ship sailing under the Palau flag after it caught fire.

A separate attack near Romania’s exclusive economic zone reportedly killed two people and forced the evacuation of 11 others.

The growing number of incidents has intensified pressure on NATO, whose member states Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey border the strategically important Black Sea.

According to The Wall Street Journal, alliance officials are assessing how to respond to attacks near member states without triggering a direct confrontation with Russia.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said he discussed the situation with Radev and emphasized that the alliance remains prepared to strengthen its regional defenses.

“We have already strengthened our posture along the eastern flank and will continue to monitor the security environment, adjusting our deterrence and defense posture as needed,” Rutte wrote on X.

Because the attacks occurred outside Bulgaria’s territorial waters, the incidents do not automatically trigger NATO’s Article 5 collective defense provision.

Alliance officials have instead emphasized improving surveillance, air defense and maritime coordination while investigators work to identify those responsible.

Bulgaria is also moving to strengthen its defenses against unmanned aircraft.

According to a Wednesday Reuters report, Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said the country expects to join a NATO anti-drone initiative by the end of October.

The initiative is intended to improve cooperation among allied countries confronting increasingly frequent unmanned aircraft incursions and attacks near their borders.

European governments have reported additional suspected Russian operations involving drones, sabotage and threats to transportation infrastructure.

Germany accused Moscow of involvement in a September incident involving an explosive drone near Leipzig airport, an important transportation hub for supplies destined for Ukraine. Russia denied responsibility.

NATO members have also reported unauthorized drone flights and unidentified aircraft entering their airspace, prompting increased military patrols and aerial interceptions.

Martin Vladimirov, director of the geoeconomics program at Bulgaria’s Center for the Study of Democracy, warned that such operations could be intended to undermine the alliance without provoking conventional warfare.

“Russia will expand its hybrid warfare not necessarily in preparation for an invasion but in order to undermine NATO’s unity and the support for Ukraine,” Vladimirov said.

The maritime attacks have also renewed concerns about global food security.

Ukraine depends on Black Sea shipping routes to export agricultural products, including grain, while Russia and Ukraine have increasingly targeted each other’s maritime infrastructure as part of their broader military campaigns.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed a reciprocal ceasefire protecting commercial shipping and port facilities.

“Ukraine is ready to do its part to ensure calm, safe shipping and food security in the Black Sea if Russia is ready to take real steps toward de-escalation, too,” Zelenskyy said in late September.

During remarks at the Warsaw Security Forum on Monday, he urged European governments to respond collectively to destabilizing operations.

“There is no such thing as a small act of destabilization. Our intelligence services know that Russia is planning many aggressive hybrid operations against Europe,” Zelenskyy said.

As rescue crews continue searching for the missing sailors, the attacks underscore the growing risks facing commercial vessels operating near NATO territory.

Investigators have not conclusively identified the attackers, leaving Bulgaria and its allies confronting difficult decisions about how to protect civilian shipping while avoiding a wider military confrontation in the Black Sea.