Liberia-flagged Contship Jet sinks off Bulgaria after three maritime drone strikes

The Liberia-flagged container ship Contship Jet sank off the Bulgarian coast after being struck by three uncrewed surface drones. The vessel was sailing from Haifa, Israel, to Constanța, Romania, when it was attacked about 17 nautical miles east of Cape Kaliakra, within Bulgaria’s adjacent zone but outside its territorial waters.

The attacks took place on Wednesday, 28 October 2026. The first strike occurred at noon, followed by two more hits against the container ship. All three impacts were made on the starboard side, creating three holes in the hull. After the attack, the ship began drifting south.

“Civilian vessel safety must not be sacrificed in the conflict.”

The ship was carrying 421 containers, including dangerous goods such as lithium-ion batteries, corrosive liquids, acids, flammable liquids including ethanol solutions, industrial chemicals, plastics, foodstuffs, construction materials, timber, machinery, and industrial components. At least 20 containers were reported floating after the incident.

All 18 crew members were successfully evacuated. The crew consisted of 14 Filipino nationals and four Ukrainian nationals. The Bulgarian Navy, border police, and maritime authorities deployed rescue vessels to assist the operation. No fatalities were reported.

Bulgarian Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov confirmed the attack. Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler warned Russia and Ukraine to immediately stop attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea, saying civilian vessel safety must not be sacrificed in the conflict. Ukraine has accused Russia of being behind attacks on civilian ships in the Black Sea, while Moscow denies involvement.

No oil spills were detected during inspections of the incident area, and checks were continuing. The responsibility for the attack had not been established by the time the report was compiled. Romanian authorities condemned the attack and called for an urgent assessment of Black Sea security, announcing intensified patrols in affected areas.