site.btaUPDATED Su-25 Searches for Survivors

A Su-25 aircraft will be sent on a search mission for more survivors from a drone attack on two commercial ships near the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said here Tuesday. He participated in a meeting convened by Prime Minister Rumen Radev with representatives of the competent institutions after the midnight drone attack in the Bulgarian economic zone in the Black Sea.

"We are preparing a Su-25 aircraft for aerial reconnaissance. It is the kind of aircraft that can overfly the area at a lower speed to search for survivors," the Minister explained. 

Two helicopters from the Krumovo air base have been sent to the Chaika naval helicopter air base near Varna to get rescuers and fly them offshore, if they are needed, the Minister also said.

The Armed Forces are ready to provide more personnel and resources, he added.

The two merchant ships were attacked by sea and aerial drones at around 3:00 a.m. Both ships sustained damage and one has sunk. The crew of one ship was rescued but the other is unaccounted for. Bulgaria is conducting a rescue operation some 70 nautical miles east of the coastal town of Byala, in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea.