A container ship was attacked by three naval drones off the Bulgarian coast, according to a report from Maritime.bg. The incident involved the Liberian-flagged Contship Jet, which was sailing from the Israeli port of Haifa toward Constanța in Romania. The attack occurred on Wednesday near Cape Kaliakra, approximately 21 nautical miles southeast of the town of Shabla.
Bulgarian broadcaster bTV reported that the crew abandoned the vessel and evacuated onto life rafts following the strike. A tanker was dispatched to assist the sailors, but the Contship Jet subsequently sank. The location of the attack places the ship about 16 nautical miles from the cape. This position falls inside Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone but just outside the country’s territorial waters.
Bulgaria’s Ministry of Defence confirmed it was aware of the incident. The timing coincides with a meeting of defense ministers from Bulgaria, Turkey, and Romania in Sofia to discuss regional security. Russia is widely believed to be behind recent attacks on merchant shipping in the Black Sea, though Bulgaria’s government has been reluctant to assign blame.
Maritime analysts suggest that targeting vessels in this zone signals a change in conflict tactics. By operating within the exclusive economic zone rather than international waters, the operators can maintain plausible deniability while still exerting pressure on commercial routes.
No information has been released regarding the condition of the sailors or the full extent of the damage to the vessel. The attack adds to a series of drone strikes and ship sinkings that have occurred in the region over recent weeks. The Black Sea has become a focal point for geopolitical tension as these incidents continue. Maritime.bg reported the attack, which is one of many incidents in the area.
The crew’s evacuation and the vessel’s sinking are a cause for concern. The defense ministers’ meeting in Sofia aimed to address regional security issues, including the recent attacks on merchant shipping. Bulgaria’s government is still investigating the incident and has not assigned blame yet. The exclusive economic zone where the attack occurred is an area of concern for Bulgaria and other countries in the region.