Bulgarian Navy, Air Force locate ship abandoned and adrift after drone hit

Bulgarian Air Force and Navy personnel completed on October 4 a reconnaissance and localisation task of a cargo ship abandoned and adrift in the waters of the Black Sea after a drone hit, the Defence Ministry said.

From 11.30am to 1.10pm, Air Force crews with two Cougar helicopters, together with specialists from the Navy, carried out a task to search for and locate the drifting vessel Emil, which was found 40 nautical miles east of Cape Shabla.

After a drone strike in the Odesa region on August 5, which was followed by a fire and failure of the technical systems, the vessel was left without the possibility of maneuvering and was abandoned by the crew.

Since then, the ship has been drifting in the exclusive economic zone of Romania, and under the influence of sea currents, it is moving southward towards the exclusive economic zone of Bulgaria, the Defence Ministry said.

The Bulgarian Navy has issued a notice to mariners about a ship not under control and without a crew in the specified area.

The vessel continues to be monitored by the competent institutions, who remain ready to take the necessary actions should the situation change, the ministry said.

(Photos: Defence Ministry)