Bulgaria orders pollution checks after Black Sea ship attacks

Bulgarian Environment Minister Rositsa Karamfilova has ordered emergency checks for possible marine pollution following drone attacks on two commercial ships in the Black Sea. 

The Black Sea Basin Directorate in Varna has launched an inspection along Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast after the two foreign vessels were attacked by drones early on Tuesday. One ship sank, while a fire broke out on the other, leaving two sailors injured and hospitalised.

• Drones hit two ships 80 nautical miles off the Bulgarian coast
• Bulgarian PM condemns drone attacks on ships in Black Sea economic zone

Water samples will be taken on Tuesday near Cape Kaliakra, Byala and Sozopol and tested for petroleum products, polychlorinated biphenyls, metals and physical and chemical indicators of water quality. The tests will be carried out by teams from the Executive Environment Agency’s regional laboratories in Varna and Burgas to assess the condition of the seawater and determine whether the attacks have caused any pollution.

Editor: Diana Tsankova