Three maritime drones struck a container ship in the Black Sea off the coast of Bulgaria, Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said. The crew evacuated the vessel, and Bulgarian state news agency BTA reported no immediate casualties.
The incident took place as defense ministers from Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey met in Sofia for trilateral talks focused on Black Sea security. A series of drone attacks has occurred this month off the coasts of NATO members Romania and Bulgaria.
Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler said: "We follow with concern the intense attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea and call on the sides to act with common sense, in line with the principle of navigational safety in open seas." He said the necessary warnings are constantly being conveyed to both sides to keep commercial shipping out of the conflict zone and to halt attacks on civilian vessels immediately.
Russia has not taken responsibility, though suspicion has increasingly fallen on Moscow. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev told parliament earlier this month: "The logic points in that direction." He added: "The problem is that we cannot prove it."