The Military District Prosecutor's Office in Sofia has initiated pre-trial proceedings into the attack with surface drones on the motor ship Contship Jet. The vessel, which is flying the Liberian flag, was attacked in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea.
The report was sent to the prosecutor's office by the Regional Service “Military Police“ in Varna. The proceedings were initiated under Art. 415, para. 1 of the Criminal Code. It is being investigated whether the rules of international law for the conduct of war, as set out in paragraphs 67, 41 and 42 of the San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea, have been violated.
Military investigator takes over the case
In view of the scale and specificity of the incident, the investigation has been assigned to a military investigator from the Military District Prosecutor's Office in Sofia.
“In violation of the rules of international law for the conduct of war, it was ordered to use impermissible methods of warfare“, states the decree for the initiation of the pre-trial proceedings. It describes a drone attack on a ship flying the flag of a neutral country, as well as against the crew and cargo on board.
The prosecutor's office did not report an identified perpetrator or an accused person. The investigation must clarify the circumstances surrounding the attack and establish who ordered the use of the drones.
The sailors were questioned in Varna
Due to the emergency situation and the fact that the surviving crew members are foreign citizens temporarily staying in Bulgaria, urgent investigative actions have been taken. The Regional Service “Military Police“ in Varna has been assigned to immediately question the sailors on site.
The ship was hit about 21 nautical miles southeast of Shabla. The crew of 18 people was rescued and taken to Varna. The Contship Jet later sank around midnight. The details of the attack and the rescue of the crew were also confirmed by international media.
The pre-trial proceedings are to establish the ownership of the vessel, the type of cargo carried, the composition of the crew, the route of movement and the full extent of the damage caused.
Sources: bta.bg, apnews.com