Human Remains Found in Bulgaria: Human remains have been discovered aboard the tanker Wine Trader, which was hit by a drone near Romania’s Black Sea coast on October 15. The vessel was later taken to the Bulgarian port of Varna for repairs. The remains were found on Saturday, November 7, while workers were cleaning the damaged ship.
Bulgarian prosecutors said the remains are “severely damaged”. DNA tests have now been ordered to find out who the victims are. Officials haven’t been able to confirm how many people died because of the condition of the remains.
A source from Bulgaria’s law enforcement agencies told AFP that the remains may belong to around six people. But this number hasn’t been officially confirmed.
What happened to the Wine Trader tanker?
The prosecutors didn’t name the ship in their statement. However, the details match the San Marino-flagged chemical tanker Wine Trader.
The vessel was struck by a drone on October 15, around 24 kilometres southeast of Sulina, close to where the Danube River meets the Black Sea. A fire broke out after the attack and the ship suffered serious damage.
There were 12 crew members on board at the time. Five sailors were rescued, but the other seven were reported missing. The ship was later moved to Varna at the beginning of November so repair work could begin.
The discovery of human remains has raised hopes of finding out what happened to some of the missing sailors. DNA testing will be needed to identify them. Romanian authorities are also investigating the incident.
Drone attacks raise concerns across the Black Sea
The incident involving Wine Trader is part of a wider series of attacks on commercial ships in the Black Sea. Since the start of October, at least nine cargo ships and other commercial vessels have been hit by drones near the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria.
These incidents have left around 34 sailors dead or missing, according to reports from the region, reported Reuters. The attacks have also increased safety concerns for ships travelling through important Black Sea shipping routes.
Romania and Bulgaria are both NATO members. The growing number of attacks has led to greater security concerns in the region. Reuters reported on November 5 that France had decided to keep a maritime patrol aircraft in Romania for several more weeks. The aircraft is being used to watch for possible threats to commercial ships.
The search for answers about the Wine Trader crew is now expected to depend on the DNA tests. Until the remains are identified, the exact number of victims will remain uncertain.
