The Maltese-flagged general cargo ship CHELSEA 3 (IMO: 9361392) was hit in a drone attack while transiting east of Byala. The 136-meter ship with a deadweight of 5827 tons was built in 2006, and reported last night at around 02:00.
This was specified by maritime.bg.
The vessel was making a transition from the Turkish Black Sea port of Giresun to Giurgiuleşti.
The border police ship BURGAS (MMSI: 207451400) was sent to the area.
The vessel is owned and managed by a company based in Ukraine. The last inspection under the Code of Conduct was carried out in Bari, Italy, on August 12. 11 non-conformities were found, and they did not become the reason for its detention.
On October 6, 2026, at around 0300 in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Bulgaria in the Black Sea, about 70 nautical miles east of the town of Byala and Cape Sveti Atanas, the first direct attack with drones against two ships was carried out. Photo: Illustrative image of Maritime.bg
On October 6, 2026, at around 0300 in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Bulgaria in the Black Sea, about 70 nautical miles east of the town of Byala and Cape Sveti Atanas, the first direct attack with drones against two ships was carried out.
The strikes were directed against the Togolese-flagged ALFA WATAN (IMO: 7510884) and the Palauan-flagged ABLE (IMO: 9001136). As a result of critical structural damage from the attack, ALFA WATAN sank, and the merchant ship MERCY was diverted to the area for a search.
A large fire broke out on board the second ship hit - ABLE, forcing the entire 18-member crew to abandon ship. The distressed sailors were rescued thanks to the intervention of the Bulgarian-flagged ro-ro/passenger ferry DIOSCURIA (IMO: 7931997). On board the ferry, first aid was provided to the injured, after which the rescued crew was transferred southeast of Varna to the border police cutter “Burgas“ for medical evacuation and transportation to shore.
ALFA WATAN sank at a depth of about 2,000 meters in the waters of the Black Sea, and yesterday ABLE was located about 53 nautical miles east of Pasha Dere.
The war in the Black Sea has entered a new phase of escalation after Ukraine and Russia began attacking each other's merchant ships and port infrastructure, turning international sea corridors into a direct zone of military action. The attacks on civilian shipping constitute a direct violation of international maritime law and have led to a critical deterioration in security in the region.
The attacks on merchant ships were launched by Ukraine in early summer.
In response to the increased frequency of strikes by naval drones, UAVs and missiles, the Joint Military Risks Committee in London (JWC) has undertaken a major expansion of the high-risk zone in the Black Sea by a factor of nearly 2.4 — from approximately 171,400 sq km to 411,200 sq km (bulletin JWLA-035). The new revision covers the entire Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, with the only exception being the 12-mile territorial waters of Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Georgia. The territorial waters of Russia and Ukraine remain an area of active military risk.
This measure has led to a sharp increase in insurance premiums for the merchant fleet. Shipowners and charterers are now required to notify insurers in advance and pay substantial military premiums for transit through international waters. This increases the cost of freight for bulk and liquid cargo, including grain, fuels and fertilizers. To avoid these costs, some vessels are passing through coastal routes closely along the coasts of Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania, which significantly extends the transit time and increases the risk of navigational accidents due to heavy traffic.
The conflict also directly affects the national security of coastal states. Since the beginning of hostilities, the Bulgarian Navy has processed over 300 signals for mines and floating dangerous objects, and in 2026 alone, over 30 drones, missiles and debris from them were destroyed. To ensure security, the joint Mine Action Group between Bulgaria, Turkey and Romania operates, and in parallel, NATO and EU projects are being developed for active control of shipping and monitoring of critical underwater infrastructure.
Source: www.maritime.bg