Drones hit two ships in Bulgaria's economic zone in the Black Sea, prompting president Iliana Yotova to cancel a planned visit to Veliko Tarnovo, the president's press office said.

The head of state had been due to attend an event at 11:00 presenting the results of archaeological digs and restoration work on Trapezitsa hill.

Prime minister Rumen Radev called a meeting with officials over the strike on the ships, the government's press office said.

Follow-up: Democratic Bulgaria calls for emergency hearing after strike on ships

Updated (06.10, 13:26): BTA, Bulgaria's news agency, says the attack happened around 3am, using sea and air drones 70 miles east of the town of Byala. The ship that sank sailed under the Togolese flag. The second vessel was carrying wheat with a crew of 11 Turkish and 7 Indian nationals. Two sailors were hurt — one with a head injury, one with burns — and are being taken to Varna. The other 16 crew members were rescued by a border patrol boat and the Bulgarian ship Dioskuria.

Updated (06.10, 14:40): Border police ship commander Ivan Ivanov said 10 of the crew are Turkish nationals and the other six are Indian — not 11 Turkish and 7 Indian, as first reported. He said the rescued men were brought to Varna on a border police boat and are in good overall condition, though they look tired and worn out. Ivanov said the sea was calm, which let the two boats pull up side by side to get the men off.

Follow-up: Navy chief: too early to say if drone-hit ship Able will sink

Follow-up: Stoyanov speaks to Romanian and Turkish ministers after attacks on ships in Black Sea