11 Sailors Missing After Drone Strikes Hit Cargo Ships Near Bulgaria

11 Sailors Missing After Drone Strikes Hit Cargo Ships Near Bulgaria
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Eleven sailors are missing after a drone strike hit the cargo vessel Azov Concord near Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast on October 13, 2026. Five crew members were rescued, while Bulgarian officials reported that the ship had been struck during overnight attacks on two commercial vessels. Although several reports said the vessel sank, Bulgarian authorities had not definitively confirmed its sinking.

The second vessel, Chelsea 3, which sails under the Maltese flag, was also hit by three drones. All 15 crew members—seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis—were rescued. The incidents prompted Bulgarian authorities to summon Russia’s ambassador. Prime Minister Rumen Radev condemned the attacks as “absolutely unacceptable,” while stopping short of directly accusing Moscow. Russia had not immediately commented.

Ukraine and the European Union also condemned the attacks, which came about a week after another deadly incident involving commercial shipping in Bulgaria’s Black Sea exclusive economic zone. The latest strikes have renewed concerns about the safety of civilian vessels and the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on Black Sea shipping routes.