The vessel “Chelsea-3“, which was hit by drones in the Black Sea, docks at the port of Burgas. The vessel, which flies the Maltese flag, was towed after several days of drifting off the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.
The operation began on October 16 at around 10:30. At around 14:00, the tugboat “Aliot“ and “Chelsea-2“, which is owned by the same shipowner, reached the damaged vessel. After nearly seven hours of inspections and preparation, the two ships set off for Burgas at 20:55.
Before the start of the withdrawal, the “Chelsea-3“ was located 12.5 nautical miles south of Maslen Nos and 10.7 nautical miles east of Lozenets. Its anchor caught on the seabed, which ensured the stability of the vessel and allowed the operation to begin.
The Prosecutor's Office is investigating the attack
The Military District Prosecutor's Office – Sofia has initiated pre-trial proceedings for an alleged crime in the Bulgarian exclusive economic zone of the Black Sea. The report was sent under the jurisdiction of the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office and was filed by the “Bulgarian Lawyers for Human Rights” Foundation and the association “Bulgarian Helsinki Committee“.
The report contains allegations of violations of the international law of warfare. The prosecutor's office's decree states that “a murder was ordered to be committed against the civilian population“ - an allegation that is subject to clarification within the framework of the investigation.
The investigation has been assigned to a military investigator at the Military District Prosecutor's Office - Sofia. Separate procedural and investigative actions have also been assigned to a military investigator at the Military District Prosecutor's Office - Sliven. The Secretary General of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has been assigned to organize the search for witnesses, the establishment of the location of the ship and other actions in the case.
Evidence is yet to be collected about the ownership of the “Chelsea-3“, the crew, the route and purpose of the voyage, as well as the cargo carried and any passengers. At this point, the prosecutor's office reports that pre-trial proceedings have been initiated, without indicating the involvement of a specific person as an accused.
Sources: bntnews.bg