Bulgaria destroys mine drifting near its Black Sea coast

The ministry said the navy was alerted about a floating object that looked very much like a naval mine some 200 meters (220 yards) off the Black Sea coast near the village of Tulenovo in northeastern Bulgaria early on Monday.

SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria's navy on Monday carried out a controlled explosion of a naval mine that had drifted close to the country's Black Sea coast, the defence ministry said.

Mines began floating in the Black Sea after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. Special diving teams in Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey have been defusing those drifting in their waters.

The mine, identified as an anchored "YaM" type, placed in a combat position, was destroyed by a special diving team later in the day, the ministry said in a statement.

Since the war started, Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine have destroyed roughly 40 mines in western waters of the Black Sea.

(Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova; editing by Jonathan Oatis)