It has not yet been established whether the wreckage found on board the ship "Chelsea 3" that was hit in the Black Sea is from a drone, the vessel itself or another object. This was stated by the Minister of Defense Dimitar Stoyanov, calling for no preliminary conclusions to be drawn.
“These remains are yet to be identified - whether they are part of the ship, a drone or something else”, Stoyanov told journalists. According to him, the mere discovery of debris after an explosion is not enough to make a definitive conclusion about their origin.
“Chelsea 3“ is located at the port in Burgas, and access to it remains limited, as the case is under investigation. “An investigation is underway. There are pre-trial proceedings initiated by the Military Prosecutor's Office“, the minister said.
Specialized teams are working on board, which must inspect, evaluate and identify the materials found. During the previous inspections, three holes were found in the hull. The explosives expert must clarify the nature of the explosion and the type of substance used, and preserved markings or serial numbers are also being sought among the discovered fragments.
Bulgaria is expanding surveillance over its maritime spaces. Two Bulgarian unmanned systems are already performing reconnaissance tasks, and the third has made its first flights in the country.
“Yesterday, the first flights with it were made in Bulgaria“, Stoyanov announced. According to him, the country also receives support from NATO, including through a Boeing P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft and two allied teams.
The minister described the measures as preventive. “This should not worry Bulgarian citizens. We are simply introducing increased surveillance in Bulgaria's territorial waters“, he said.“
The Commander of the Naval Forces, Rear Admiral Kiril Mihaylov, announced that since the beginning of the year, over 100 drones or parts of them have been discovered in Bulgarian sea areas. According to him, 35 posed an immediate danger and were destroyed, while the rest were removed from the water.““Chelsea 3“ was hit on October 13 about 17 nautical miles from Byala, in the Bulgarian exclusive economic zone. The ship, which flies under the Maltese flag, was towed to Burgas after its entire crew was rescued. The Military District Prosecutor's Office in Sofia has initiated pre-trial proceedings for alleged violations of international law in the conduct of war.