Bulgaria has not yet found out where the drones came from that hit four merchant ships in the Black Sea in one week, prime minister Rumen Radev told parliament. Radar watch along the coast has been stepped up, he added.
This story follows our earlier report on Radev's meeting with Russian ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova after the latest drone strikes on ships. The meeting lasted under an hour, and what was said has not been made public.
Radev said the authorities have so far rescued the crews and want a thorough investigation to show why the ships were hit and which side the drones came from.
An Air Force crew tried to inspect the ship Able. Two service members were lowered onto it and spent more than 30 minutes on board, but found no drone fragments. Without fragments, it is not possible to say clearly what caused the attack or where it came from, the prime minister said.
"I can say that the ship is listing, its engine room is flooded, and the operation also carries a serious level of risk."
"We have strengthened, with the means we have, our surface-to-air missile cover and our ability to counter drones," Radev told MPs.
All available forces that can be moved without seriously disrupting the plans to guard and defend Bulgaria are already in place, he said.
The Chelsea is one of the ships hit the day before the hearing. A tug is expected to take it to the port of Varna by the end of the week, where it will be inspected thoroughly.