Naval Drones Attack Containership Contship Jet off Bulgaria

The containership Contship Jet, flying the Liberian flag and Greek-owned, was attacked by three naval drones on October 28 off the Bulgarian coast of the Black Sea, while sailing from the Israeli port of Haifa to Constanta, Romania. The attack took place within Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, approximately 21 nautical miles southeast of the coastal town of Shabla, as confirmed by Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov.

The official made the announcement on the sidelines of a regional meeting on maritime security attended by the Defense Ministers of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey. So far, the authorship of the attack has not been established, and all details regarding the vessel's condition following the strike are not yet known with precision.

The crew was evacuated from the vessel. According to Greek-based shipowner Contships Management, all 18 crew members -14 Filipinos and 4 Ukrainians- are safe and ashore. Bulgaria's Transport Ministry reported that it dispatched four naval and police vessels to assist the ship, while Bulgarian National Radio reported that a tanker had been sent in support. A maritime security source noted that the vessel suffered significant damage and was left listing.

The incident adds to a series of drone attacks against merchant vessels off the coast of Bulgaria, which in recent weeks are believed to have caused the deaths of around two dozen international seafarers, with at least six commercial vessels attacked. These incidents have drawn international condemnation and concern over the spillover of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, prompting Bulgaria, a member of the European Union and NATO, to request support from its allies to strengthen maritime security in the area. Ukraine attributed the attacks to Russia, and Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev stated that the attacks appear to benefit Moscow, although the Kremlin denied any involvement. Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler warned Russia and Ukraine against further attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea and noted that Ankara reserves the right to take legal action.

The Contship Jet is a containership built in 2007, with a length overall of 159.8 meters and a beam of 24.8 meters, which was carrying 421 containers whose cargo was not specified. Contships Management did not immediately respond to press inquiries regarding the incident.