The Black Sea has become the scene of a new incident: Bulgarian military forces discovered a drifting unmanned aerial vehicle with a broken wing. The object, found in a patrol area, was deemed potentially dangerous and subsequently destroyed. The event occurred during routine mine countermeasure operations but required the involvement of forces from several countries and the conduct of a complex underwater operation.
Discovery near Ahtopol
The incident occurred on July 21. Bulgarian Navy mine countermeasure groups, which had set out to sea from the port of Burgas, spotted a suspicious object approximately 21 nautical miles east of the town of Ahtopol. Amid heightened alertness, the command immediately dispatched forces for a detailed inspection of the find.
To assess the situation, the Turkish minesweeper "Akçay" was deployed. Divers who descended to the object determined that an unmanned aerial vehicle with a damaged wing was drifting in the water. A visual inspection of the hull revealed no external signs of ordnance, but the risk of explosives being present inside the structure remained high.
Neutralization Operation
Given the potential threat, the military decided not to take risks and to destroy the drone. While preparations for the operation were underway, the area was cordoned off: the Bulgarian minesweeper "Struma" and the Romanian minesweeper "Dumitrescu" patrolled the waters, ensuring safety and diverting civilian vessels.
All nearby ships were warned of the potential danger. After the divers reported the results of their inspection, Captain Petar Dimitrov, commander of the Bulgarian Navy mine countermeasure group, ordered the destruction of the object. The operation concluded successfully, and the threat was neutralized.
Context: A series of incidents in the region
This is not the first case of such objects being discovered in the Black Sea. The day before, a damaged drone containing explosives was found on the Turkish coast. Bomb disposal experts neutralized the find using a controlled detonation.
Visually, the Turkish drone resembled the Russian "Gerbera" unmanned aerial vehicle, although official confirmation of its origin is currently absent. This series of similar incidents indicates rising tensions in the region and the need to strengthen security measures on maritime routes.
