Bulgaria and Romania Continue Black Sea Searches After Attacks
Search and rescue and salvage efforts are continuing in both the Bulgarian and Romanian zones of the Black Sea after the attacks earlier this week on commercial ships. Weather conditions have been hampering the operations, but both countries are searching for further evidence from the attacks, while Bulgaria confirmed it has also officially asked NATO to increase its deployment to strengthen security in the region and for commercial shipping.
Romania dispatched teams both aboard a helicopter and a patrol boat to return to the damaged product tanker Wine Trader. The abandoned vessel remains anchored approximately 12 nautical miles off the coast of Romania near the Salina Canal after it was struck by one or more drones early on Thursday. Five of the crewmembers were rescued and taken for medical treatment in Romania, while seven seafarers are still missing after the attack.
The plan called for a team of four aboard a helicopter to board the ship and resume the search for the missing individuals. The crew of the ship said they had not been able to enter the accommodations area due to the intensity of the fire. The helicopter team was also going to do a reconnaissance flyover.
The patrol boat FIFI MAI 0101, which participated in the rescue, was returning to the location on Friday with 13 rescuers aboard. They were going to conduct reconnaissance in the area and also planned to board the vessel.
Strong winds and rough seas were reportedly challenging the search operation. The goal remains focused on the recovery of the missing crewmembers.
Wine Trader is anchored off Romania (ARSVOM)
Also on Friday, Bulgaria dispatched a tug in an effort to stop the Chelsea-3, a cargo ship that was struck at around 01:15 on October 13, while sailing about 16 nautical miles east of Byala. The Border Police rescued the crew from the ship, but according to reports, the vessel is drifting. It has now entered the 12-mile zone east of Primorsk. The winds and heavy seas in the region are pushing the vessel toward the south.
The tug Aliot was dispatched with the goal of towing the cargo ship to Burgas. However, it returned to port on Friday afternoon, reporting that the strong winds and deteriorating sea conditions had prevented it from securing the vessel and beginning the tow. Bulgarian officials said they would make another attempt when the weather conditions improved.
Once the vessel is brought into the anchorage at Burgas, they plan a thorough search of the vessel. They are looking for fragments of the drone that struck the ship to make a definitive identification. Last week, Bulgarian forces searched another of the damaged vessels but reported they were unable to find identifying fragments from the drone that struck the ship.
Damage sustained by the Chelsea-3 seen during the evacuation (Bulgaria Interior Ministry)
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Bulgaria’s Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov, however, told reporters on Friday that Bulgaria has proceeded with a formal request to NATO. He said in a letter sent to the Secretary-General and the Supreme Allied Commander, they have requested deploying combat aircraft and anti-drone systems, potentially with additional troops, to strengthen Bulgaria’s defense capabilities and increase protection for commercial shipping.
They are waiting for a formal response from NATO. However, at the same time, Bulgarian officials said they would be meeting with Romanian and Turkish officials to discuss coordinated action and “a common approach to the situation in the Black Sea.” The three countries have already been working together in an effort to control mines that were released into the Black Sea earlier in the conflict. They conduct regular patrols and efforts to remove mines that are drifting in the Black Sea.
