Three Drones Strike Container Ship Off Bulgaria

Commercial shipping in the Black Sea has become a dangerous corridor for cargo operators. On Wednesday, three maritime drones attacked the Contship Jet, a container ship sailing in international waters off the Bulgarian coast.

Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov confirmed the incident to reporters. He stated that the vessel was struck shortly before 1 p.m. local time. The ship was located roughly 21 nautical miles southeast of Shabla, near Cape Kaliakra in the country's northeast.

The crew of 18 abandoned the vessel. Four Ukrainian sailors and 14 Filipino sailors were recovered by Bulgarian Navy and border police rescue boats. The group was transported to the port city of Varna for medical evaluation.

The Contship Jet was en route from Haifa, Israel, to Constanța, Romania. The ship carried 421 containers. Officials did not immediately specify the cargo contents.

The attack occurred while defense ministers from Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey met in Sofia. The three nations discussed security in the Black Sea region. Following the talks, the ministers condemned the drone strikes on commercial vessels. They called for an immediate cessation of attacks that threaten maritime infrastructure and ship safety. The group also agreed to improve intelligence sharing and early warning capabilities.

This incident follows a series of drone attacks on NATO eastern flank waters this month. Russian President Vladimir Putin has not claimed responsibility for the strikes, though suspicion remains high. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev told Parliament earlier this month that the logic points in that direction. He noted that the problem is the lack of proof.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on October 15 that the alliance strengthened its posture along the eastern flank. This included increasing counter-drone capabilities. The attacks have left two people dead and at least 25 missing. In early October, two commercial ships were hit in Bulgarian waters. On October 23, a cargo ship sank after a suspected drone strike near the Romanian port of Constanta.