The operation to tow the motor vessel Chelsea 3 was carried out in bad weather conditions and was unprecedented, Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Peev told journalists on Saturday after the vessel arrived at the Port of Burgas.
The general cargo ship Chelsea 3 was struck by an aerial drone in the Black Sea, approximately 15 nautical miles off the Bulgarian coastal town of Byala on October 13. The ship was travelling from Turkiye to Moldova. All 15 crew members were evacuated and brought to Varna. Another vessel, HS Dignity, sailing under the flag of Guinea-Bissau, was struck by a drone and sank 17 nautical miles east of Shabla. On Friday, the Sofia Military District Prosecutor’s Office announced that it had initiated pre-trial proceedings following a report containing allegations of a crime committed in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea, involving the vessel Chelsea 3. Later on Friday, the authorities said that an operation to tow Chelsea 3 was under way.
The Transport Ministry said operation to tow the vessel entered its main phase at 8.25 pm on Friday.
“This was a rescue operation, and we are extremely pleased that it succeeded on the second attempt,” Peev said. He explained that the operation was conducted under the supervision of the Ministry of Transport and the Maritime Administration in Burgas, with the participation of the Bulgarian Navy and the Border Police.
Peev highlighted that Port Master Zhivko Petrov had led the operation and expressed his gratitude to him.
He stressed that Bulgaria would make every effort to gather evidence and conduct an independent investigation to establish conclusively where the attack originated. Peev noted that Prime Minister Rumen Radev had made this commitment during his visit to Brussels. The Minister also recalled Radev’s talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antfnio Costa, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
“The attack most likely came from Russia, as it is highly unlikely that Ukraine would attack its own vessels. However, we must prove that this is the case,” Peev said. He added that conclusions must always be based on evidence, adding that the Bulgarian authorities would conduct an investigation and that its findings would be made public and communicated to European partners. The results will be presented clearly and unequivocally to the public and the European Union, he said.
Burgas Port Master Zhivko Petrov said that the biggest challenge in towing Chelsea 3 to the Port of Burgas was the combination of adverse weather conditions and extensive damage to the vessel, which has several breaches in its hull and is more of a wreck than a ship.
According to Petrov, the main risk during the operation was that the vessel could sustain further structural damage and sink while being taken under tow and during the towing process. The most complicated and dangerous part of the operation was getting the teams on board. This had proved impossible the previous day due to weather conditions, but the weather improved yesterday, allowing the teams to board the vessel.
The operation involved two Border Police vessels, a tugboat operated by the Port of Burgas towing company, and personnel from the Maritime Administration and the Bulgarian Navy. Petrov thanked everyone involved in the operation, particularly Captain Todor Korunchev, who commanded the tugboat.
“Visually, the vessel has three breaches in its hull – one on the port side, one on the starboard side, and one at the stern. That is what can be seen from the outside. Everything else will have to be established through expert examinations,” Petrov said.
Chelsea 3 is expected to be berthed at the Western Port terminal, after which expert inspections will be carried out to assess the vessel’s condition and determine the extent of the damage.
Chelsea 3 Towed to Port of Burgas after Unprecedented Rescue Operation 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-10-17 15:32:27
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BULGARIA NEWS – NEWS AGENCY 2009–2026 2026-10-17 15:32:27
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