Human remains have been discovered on the Wine Trader tanker during clearance work at a ship-repair yard in Varna. A criminal investigation is under way, and DNA examinations have been ordered to establish the victims’ identities.
The vessel was brought to Bulgaria for repairs at the beginning of November after a drone strike near Romania. The latest discovery adds a new investigative stage to an incident whose human consequences are still being established.
Identities before a final toll
The prosecution’s announcement does not give a final number of victims. Early media reports differ on that figure. Severely damaged remains require forensic identification, so the number of recovered remains cannot safely be equated with a confirmed death toll.
The ship was sailing under the flag of San Marino, and there were no Bulgarian citizens in its crew. A separate investigation is also taking place in Romania. The Bulgarian proceedings are being directed and supervised by the Varna District Prosecutor’s Office.
A ship, not an anonymous maritime incident
Wine Trader was attacked on 15 October near the Romanian coast and later towed to Varna. The case is distinct from other recent attacks on merchant vessels in the Black Sea; their crew lists, rescue operations and casualty figures should not be merged.
The immediate tasks are to identify the victims and establish the circumstances through evidence from the vessel. The announcement does not identify a perpetrator or set out a final account of the deaths. Those questions remain part of the investigation.
