The situation with the discovered unmanned aerial vehicle in the Black Sea waters off the Southern Black Sea Coast is now completely under control. As of 5:20 a.m. Bulgarian time on August 26, 2026, the drone was removed from the water, transported by the military and it was confirmed that the object does not pose a danger to the population.
What happened in the sea near Tsarevo?
The signal for a drone spotted in the waters between the town of Tsarevo and the village of Varvara was submitted within the past day (August 25). The area was immediately localized by teams of the “Border Police“ and secured until the arrival of specialized units. At the request of the Burgas regional governor and after an official order from the Chief of Defense, a specialized team from the Naval Base – Burgas (information according to btvnovinite.bg/bulgaria/dronat-otkrit-kraj-carevo-e-razuznavatelen.html).
Characteristics and condition of the device
The military conducted an initial inspection of the site to make sure that there was no risk of explosion. According to the deputy regional governor of Burgas, Veselin Anestiev, told the national media, The drone is an electric reconnaissance device and was found in an exceptionally well-preserved condition. Its body is about 1.80 meters long, and no ammunition or dangerous elements threatening the safety of citizens were found on it (source: bntnews.bg/news/otkriha-izdirvaniya-dron-v-moreto-krai-carevo-1409519news.html). After the initial inspection, the aircraft was transported to the Navy base for additional analysis of its exact model and origin.
Another case on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast
The case near Tsarevo is part of the increasing number of incidents with floating or washed ashore remains of unmanned aerial vehicles in the context of the ongoing conflict in the Black Sea region. According to data from the Ministry of Defense, published by the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (bta.bg/bg/news/bulgaria/1191864-elektricheski-razuznavatelen-dron-e-otkrit-vav-vodite-na-cherno-more-kray-tsarev), within the last few days alone, the Navy has responded to similar signals near Primorsko, Lozenets, as well as in the regions of Varna (“Rakitnika“) and between Albena and Kranevo, where a decoy drone without explosives was located.
As of this early hour on August 26, the situation on the Southern Black Sea coast remains calm, and the beaches in the area are completely safe for tourists.