Rescue and search efforts in the Black Sea areas under the supervision of Bulgaria and Romania continue following attacks on several commercial vessels earlier this week. These attacks involve the tanker Wine Trader and the cargo ship Chelsea-3, which have faced challenges in rescue operations due to adverse weather conditions.
Details of the attack on the tanker Wine Trader
The tanker Wine Trader has anchored about 12 nautical miles off the Romanian coast near the Salina Channel. This vessel was attacked on Thursday by one or more drones. Five crew members were rescued and transferred for medical treatment in Romania, while seven other crew members remain missing.
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A four-member team is scheduled to approach the ship using a helicopter and resume the search for the missing. However, the crew of the ship has indicated that they have been unable to enter the residential area of the ship due to the intensity of the fire. The helicopter team was also supposed to conduct a reconnaissance flight.
Rescue operations on Chelsea-3
The cargo ship Chelsea-3 was attacked around 01:15 AM on October 13 and is currently drifting 12 nautical miles east of Promorsk. The border force has rescued the crew of the ship, but reports indicate that the ship is moving south.
The tugboat Aliot was dispatched to tow Chelsea-3 to the port of Burgas, but this operation was postponed due to strong winds and adverse sea conditions. Bulgarian officials stated that they would attempt to transfer the ship to port again if weather conditions improve.
Once the ship reaches port, a thorough search will be conducted to identify the remnants of the drone to determine the parts that have damaged the ship. Last week, Bulgarian forces attempted to identify drone remnants on another damaged ship but were unsuccessful in finding the parts.
Bulgaria's request to NATO
Dimitar Stoyanov, Bulgaria's Minister of Defense, announced on Friday that Bulgaria has officially requested NATO to deploy air forces and anti-drone systems in the region. In a letter to the NATO Secretary General and the Supreme Allied Commander, he requested that this action help strengthen Bulgaria's defensive capabilities and enhance protection for commercial shipping.
Bulgarian officials are awaiting an official response from NATO and have also announced that they will meet with officials from Romania and Turkey to discuss coordinated actions and a joint approach to the situation in the Black Sea. These three countries have previously collaborated to control mines in the Black Sea and conduct regular patrols to clear floating mines.
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