Bulgaria calls off search for crew of ship sunk by drone strike
Early on the 6th of October, drones struck two vessels within Bulgaria's Exclusive Economic Zone. One sank, while the other was damaged in the attack.
Bulgarian Vice Admiral Rumen Nikolov has announced that the search for missing crew members from a ship—which sank about 130 kilometers off the coast following a drone strike on the 6th of October—has been called off, Reuters reports.
Early on the 6th of October, drones struck two vessels within Bulgaria's Exclusive Economic Zone. One sank, while the other was damaged in the attack. The crew of the damaged vessel was rescued, but the crew members of the sunken ship could not be found. Nikolov stated that the search operations would not continue. Speaking on Nova TV's morning program, he said there was no trace of the missing sailors, nor would there be. No drone wreckage has been found either; however, a boat, three life rafts, and pieces of ship equipment from the sunken vessel were recovered.
It is not yet known who carried out the attack using drones and marine drones near the coastal town of Byala in eastern Bulgaria, but concerns regarding Russian hybrid attacks are mounting. Nikolov stated that the attack occurred in the so-called search-and-rescue zone, but not within Bulgarian territorial waters, which extend approximately 22 kilometers from the coast.
On the 6th of October, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said it was unclear whether the drones had come from Russia or Ukraine. Bulgaria shares no border with either country; however, as a NATO member, it holds a strategic position on the Black Sea, where both Russia and Ukraine have important ports.
In his evening address on the 6th of October, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that an investigation launched jointly with the Bulgarian navy indicates Russia is behind the attack.
On the 7th of October, Radev announced that his government would approve the purchase of five additional surface-to-air missile systems.