Container ship sinks after drone strikes in Black Sea
The vessel, carrying hazardous materials, was attacked Wednesday, marking the fifth incident in the region this month.
By Anthony Shevchenko ·
The Black Sea has seen a surge in maritime incidents this month. A container ship struck by drones off the Bulgarian coast sank on Wednesday, local maritime authorities confirmed Thursday.
The Contship Jet, a Liberian-flagged vessel managed by Greek operators, was hit by three maritime drones approximately 21 nautical miles from the shore. Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov identified the impact points. The ship was traveling from Haifa, Israel, to Constanța, Romania, at the time of the attack.
All 18 crew members were rescued by Bulgarian naval and border police vessels. The group consisted of 14 Filipino and four Ukrainian nationals. They were transported to the port city of Varna for medical evaluation. Reports from maritime.bg indicated the cargo included lithium-ion batteries, flammable liquids, and gases. Navy teams took water samples in Bulgarian territorial waters and found no evidence of pollution.
The attack occurred while defense ministers from Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey convened in Sofia to discuss regional security. Following their talks, the three NATO members issued a joint statement condemning the strikes on commercial shipping. They called for an immediate cessation of attacks threatening maritime infrastructure and safety. The ministers also agreed to enhance intelligence sharing and coordination in the Black Sea.
This event marks the fifth drone attack in the exclusive economic zone of a NATO country this month. Some alliance members are examining whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is testing support for Ukraine amid the ongoing war. Russia has not claimed responsibility for the recent strikes, though suspicions remain on Moscow.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev told Parliament earlier this month that the logic points toward Russia, noting the difficulty in proving it. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated on Oct. 15 that the alliance strengthened its posture on the eastern flank by increasing counter-drone capabilities in response to the frequent strikes.
The sinking vessel joins a list of incidents affecting shipping lanes in the region. The maritime administration is monitoring the area for debris. The next scheduled step is the formal investigation into the cause of the breach.
