NATO will review its defence posture in the Black Sea region after drone attacks on commercial vessels off Bulgaria’s coast left one cargo ship sunk and eleven sailors missing. Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance is monitoring the situation closely and will adjust its deterrence and defence measures if needed — NATO’s first major response to a sharp deterioration in maritime security on its southeastern flank.
Rutte spoke after talks with Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev. The two ships were hit during the night of October 13, roughly 27 to 29 kilometres from Bulgaria’s shoreline, in what Sofia has called a serious escalation against civilian shipping.
Key facts
- Drone strikes hit two merchant ships off Bulgaria’s coast on October 13; the Guinea-Bissau-flagged HS Dignity sank, with 11 of its 16 crew missing.
- The Malta-flagged Chelsea 3 was struck by three drones; all 15 crew members were evacuated, with several treated for minor injuries.
- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance would monitor the Black Sea security situation and adapt its defence posture as necessary.
- Bulgaria has asked NATO and the EU for help with the investigation and expects to join a NATO anti-drone initiative by October 30.
Ships hit in overnight drone attacks
According to Bulgarian authorities and reporting by Reuters and the Associated Press, the HS Dignity sank after the overnight strikes. Search and rescue operations were temporarily halted by strong winds and poor visibility. The Chelsea 3 survived; its crew reported that three aerial drones struck the vessel before all fifteen people aboard were evacuated.
It was the second wave of strikes in a week — drones had already hit two other ships in the same waters on October 6. No party has been conclusively identified as responsible. Prime Minister Radev said investigators had no definitive evidence, though he added that the outcome favoured Russian interests. Bulgaria summoned Russia’s ambassador in Sofia after the incidents.
Sofia and Bucharest seek stronger NATO presence
Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov told parliament on October 14 that Bulgaria expects to join a NATO anti-drone initiative by the end of the month, reversing earlier cost objections. The programme, launched in February 2025 and already joined by Romania and Turkey, targets threats flying below 150 metres, including small drones. Sofia is also considering an €80 million purchase of twenty counter-drone systems through the EU’s SAFE defence-financing programme.
On October 15, Radev met Rutte in Brussels alongside Romania’s President Nicuşor Dan, where Romania’s defence minister proposed a joint NATO military command for the Black Sea, rotating between the alliance’s coastal states. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the strikes, calling the Black Sea “another front of escalation” and warning that those responsible would be held accountable. NATO’s review will now decide how far the alliance goes to protect one of Europe’s busiest maritime corridors. Read more international news on Watan News.
