Drone-Damaged Chelsea-3 Reaches Port of Burgas

A Malta-flagged cargo ship that was struck by three drones in Bulgaria's Black Sea zone reached the port of Burgas on October 17, after a four-day salvage operation.

Chelsea-3 was sailing from Türkiye toward Moldova when aerial drones hit it on the night of October 12 to 13, roughly 15 to 18 nautical miles off Byala. The blasts tore three holes in the hull, one on the port side, one on the starboard side and one at the stern. All 15 crew members escaped safely. Five required medical treatment.

The ship sat dangerously low in the water for three days. A first attempt to tow it to port was called off when the weather deteriorated. A second towing operation began on the evening of October 16. Bulgaria's Transport Minister Georgi Peev, who oversaw the effort, described it as unprecedented. The ship docked at the Western Port terminal at berth 25 the following morning.

Bulgaria's Military Prosecutor's Office opened a war crimes investigation, examining whether orders were given to kill crew members and cause large-scale destruction. No attacker has been identified. Prime Minister Rumen Radev said the logic of the attack pointed toward Russia, but stopped short of a direct accusation.

Chelsea-3 is the third cargo ship hit by drones in this stretch of the Black Sea in a matter of weeks. The Alfa Watan sank near Byala in Bulgaria's Black Sea zone, its crew reported missing, and the cargo ship ABLE was also struck by a drone off Bulgaria and sank, with its entire crew evacuated safely.