US aircraft begins Black Sea reconnaissance as Bulgaria probes drone attacks on merchant ships

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev reported that a United States aircraft has started reconnaissance flights over the Black Sea to identify potential threats after a series of drone attacks on merchant vessels. The deployment follows consultations with NATO and other partners, and Radev said additional allied teams will arrive in Bulgaria tomorrow carrying sophisticated equipment to investigate the recent drone strike on the cargo ship Chelsea 3, analyzing recovered fragments and conducting chemical tests to determine the type of explosive employed.

He emphasized that the investigation is intensive, examining both physical debris and explosive residues. Radev also dismissed reports that commercial shipping has been hindered, stating that traffic through the port of Burgas has risen and that overall vessel movements are unchanged from the previous month. He called for calm, urging those spreading alarmism to stop, as maritime operations will continue. The duration of the US aircraft’s mission will depend on how the situation evolves.