The Bulgarian Navy has sent the frigate Verni to the area of the Black Sea where two merchant ships were attacked earlier this week, with one sunk and the other severely damaged.
The deployment of the Verdi was confirmed to news agency BTA by the Defence Ministry on October 9.
On October 8, the Verdi established the location and condition of the damaged motor vessel Able and it will be inspected, including for dangerous debris. However, an exact timetable for further actions has not been announced, while the ship drifts 55 nautical miles northeast of Cape Emine.
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On October 7, a day after the attack on the two vessels, Bulgaria called off the search for the crew (nine Syrians and one Egyptian) of the sunken Alfa Watan, prompting Syria to send a diplomatic note to Bulgaria requesting an independent investigation into the incident and an explanation as to why the search for survivors was called off less than 24 hours after the attack.
Maritime search and rescue expert Kosta Andreev, who is the chairman of the volunteer association BULSAR and former deputy commander of the Navy, told Nova Televizia on October 9 that the crew’s chances of survival were extremely small after the first hours.
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“I’m not sure whether Syria has the right to criticise our authorities. Usually, such an operation can last from 24 to 40 hours, up to two days,” Andreev said.
“The duration of the search is determined according to the specific area, weather conditions and the probability of finding living people. The marine environment is a serious danger to the human body, even when the water temperature does not seem particularly low,” he said.
The water in the area of the incident was probably around 18-20 degrees, Andreev said.
He said that at such a water temperature, the human body can last a maximum of about 40 hours, but it all depends on the person’s clothing and condition.
“Already during the first two hours, numbness in the limbs may begin, as the body limits blood circulation to them in order to maintain the temperature of the vital organs. Severe hypothermia may occur between the second and seventh hours. And lasting up to 40 hours is very rare. The probability of a person surviving for more than seven hours in such an environment, at a temperature of 18-20 degrees, is minimal.”
Alfa Watan sank to a depth of about 2 km, which suggests that specialized equipment, including remotely operated devices, is needed for the investigation.
“There are such drones, but such an operation can last a long time, as it depends on the climatic conditions in the area,” Andreev said.
“A sufficiently stable ship is also needed, with a dynamic positioning system, which can carry, control and maintain an underwater vehicle capable of operating at depths of up to 2000 metres. Before the start of the operation, preliminary studies must be carried out, the location of the sinking must be specified, and a suitable vessel and equipment must be provided.”
For this reason, Andreev did not commit to a specific deadline, whether the investigation would take weeks or months: “A very complex technical operation is ahead.”
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The Black Sea Region Basin Directorate told Bulgarian National Television on October 9 that there is no pollution of the sea water with oil products near the Bulgarian coast after the incident with the two ships hit by drones in the Black Sea, east of the town of Byala.
A special inspection was carried out by order of Environment Minister Rositsa Karamfilova. Sea water samples were taken in the areas of Cape Kaliakra, Byala and Sozopol.
The purpose of the inspection was to establish the current state of the sea waters in these areas and the presence of any possible pollution related to the incident. Monitoring of the seawater is continuing.
On October 6, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: “Our intelligence and special services are now working to establish all available information about yet another attack in the Black Sea targeting civilian vessels”.
“Ukraine’s Defence Forces conducted no operations in this area of the sea, and this latest tragedy involving civilian vessels is another part of Russia’s effort to make the western Black Sea completely unfit for navigation,” Zelenskyy said.
“We verified all the details with the Bulgarian side. Our Navy contacted its counterparts in Bulgaria, and it has been established that this was a combined Russian attack using maritime and aerial drones,” he said.
But on October 7, Bulgarian Prime Minister Roumen Radev denied that the issue had been discussed with Ukraine.
“My job is not to replicate Zelenskyy, but to establish the truth. At the Consultative Council on National Security, we received very clear reports from the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence, and the heads of the security services that there was no communication with the Ukrainian side to say what the drone was. What Zelenskyy said is his business,” Radev said.
Radev said that at the government level, together with Türkiye and Romania, and with partners from the United States, a survey of the area where the ships were hit should be organised in search of debris from the drones, which would give an answer as to which side they are from.
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“We have a proposal, after our inquiry, from the European Maritime Safety Agency, to examine the debris of the sunken ship absolutely free of charge, so that we can see there whether we will find remains of the drones. Only then can we say what kind of drone that carried out the attack is,” Radev said.
On October 9, it emerged that Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Kyrylo Budanov had made an undisclosed visit to Bulgaria’s capital city Sofia, ahead of leading a delegation to the US for talks.
Local media said that Budanov spent 20 hours in Bulgaria. On October 8, former GERB deputy leader Tsvetan Tsvetanov posted a photo of himself with Budanov on Facebook, which was apparently taken in Sofia.
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Budanov posted on X on October 8: “I am on my way to the United States with our negotiating team. Important meetings are scheduled”.
“We continue working to strengthen diplomacy and bring a lasting and just peace for Ukraine closer. There are things we cannot talk about, but we must remain wise, united, and support our military. Peace is not achieved through grand statements – it’s hard, collaborative work, and we’re working on it,” Budanov said.
(Photo of the Verni: US Navy)
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