A container ship struck by sea drones off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast has sunk, Bulgarian authorities confirmed on Thursday, October 29, in the latest attack on commercial shipping in the western Black Sea this month.
The Liberian-flagged Contship Jet, managed from Greece, was badly damaged by three sea drones on Wednesday, October 28, as it sailed from Haifa in Israel to Constanta in Romania. Bulgarian Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov placed the strike about 21 nautical miles off the Bulgarian coast, inside Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone but outside its territorial waters.
All 18 crew members — 14 Filipinos and four Ukrainians — were rescued by Bulgarian naval and border police vessels and taken to the port of Varna for medical checks. Bulgarian authorities and the ship’s operator, Contships Management, said no crew member was injured.
Ship listed, then sank overnight
The vessel was carrying 421 containers. After the strikes it developed a heavy list and a fire was reported, and at least 20 containers fell overboard, according to maritime outlet Splash247, prompting navigational warnings. The ship sank around midnight, overnight from Wednesday into Thursday.
Its cargo included lithium-ion batteries, corrosive liquids and acids and industrial components, according to the Bulgarian government. Initial inspections on Thursday found no visible traces of pollution from the ship, Reuters reported, citing the government. The exact position of the wreck has not been confirmed in the sources checked for this article.
A French maritime patrol aircraft had spotted the approaching drones and alerted Bulgarian forces, Bulgarian naval commander Rear Admiral Kiril Mihaylov told national television, but the attack could not be prevented. The drones did not enter Bulgarian territorial waters, where Bulgarian forces would have been able to engage them, according to Bulgarian defence officials.
Who carried out the attack is not known
It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack, Reuters reported. That point matters: Russia’s defence ministry said on Wednesday that its drones had struck an unidentified dry cargo vessel heading towards a Ukrainian port, alleging it was carrying supplies for Ukrainian forces, but it gave no vessel identity and that claim has not been independently verified. No source checked for this article links that Russian claim to the Contship Jet by name, and this article does not do so.
The sinking comes amid a string of drone attacks on merchant vessels in the exclusive economic zones of Bulgaria and Romania. Reuters, citing government statements, said at least six ships have been attacked by drones off Bulgaria this month and about two dozen seafarers are feared dead. Separately, Bulgaria’s defence minister described the Contship Jet strike as the fifth drone attack in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone this month. The two counts differ because they use different scopes, so they should not be added together.
NATO neighbours condemn the attacks
The incident took place as the defence ministers of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey met in Sofia to discuss Black Sea security. In a joint statement after the talks, the three NATO members strongly condemned the drone attacks on commercial vessels and called for an immediate cessation of attacks threatening merchant shipping, maritime infrastructure and the safety of maritime activities. They also agreed to strengthen intelligence sharing, early-warning capabilities and coordination in the Black Sea.
Bulgaria, a member of the European Union and NATO, has sought assistance to bolster security off its Black Sea coast, Reuters reported.
What remains unknown
Several questions remain open: who launched the drones, how much fuel was on board, where exactly the wreck lies, and whether any containers still pose a navigational or environmental risk. Bulgarian authorities have said inspections are continuing. This article will be updated if Bulgarian authorities, the ship’s operator or an independent investigation confirm those details.
Frequently asked questions
What happened to the Contship Jet? Three sea drones struck the Liberian-flagged container ship on October 28 in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone. It listed, caught fire according to maritime reports, and sank around midnight overnight into October 29.
Were any crew members killed or injured? No. All 18 crew members — 14 Filipinos and four Ukrainians — were rescued and taken to Varna, and Bulgarian authorities reported no injuries.
Who attacked the ship? That is not known. Reuters reported it was not immediately clear who carried out the attack, and Russian claims about a different, unidentified vessel have not been independently verified.
Is there pollution from the wreck? Initial inspections on Thursday found no visible traces of pollution, according to the Bulgarian government, but inspections are continuing.
Sources
- Reuters — Greek container ship sinks after drone attack off Bulgaria
- Al Arabiya — Ship sinks off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast after being hit by drones
- Splash247 — Drone-hit boxship sinks off Bulgaria
- SAFETY4SEA — Drone attack sinks containership off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast
- Radio Bulgaria — Rear Admiral Mihaylov: Drones’ origin in Black Sea ship attack unknown
