Drone-hit cargo ship sinks off Bulgaria coast, all 18 crew rescued

A Liberian-flagged container ship sank off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast after being struck by three maritime drones, authorities said on Thursday, marking the latest in a series of attacks on commercial vessels in waters near NATO member countries.

The Greek-managed vessel, Contship Jet, was attacked on Wednesday approximately 21 nautical miles off the Bulgarian coast while travelling from Israel's Haifa port to Constanta in Romania.

Bulgarian Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said three maritime drones struck the vessel, making it the fifth such attack recorded in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone this month.

All 18 crew members, comprising 14 Filipinos and four Ukrainians, were rescued by Bulgarian naval and border police vessels. They were subsequently taken to the port city of Varna for medical examinations.

The Bulgarian maritime administration confirmed on Thursday that the damaged vessel had sunk.

𝗛𝗮𝘇𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗼 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀

The incident raised concerns about possible environmental damage because some containers aboard the vessel reportedly carried hazardous materials.

According to maritime news website maritime.bg, the cargo included lithium-ion batteries, flammable liquids, gases and other potentially dangerous substances.

Bulgarian naval teams collected water samples from several locations within the country's territorial waters to assess possible contamination.

Authorities reported no signs of pollution in the samples examined, although the sinking prompted continued concern over the risks posed by hazardous cargo in the Black Sea.

𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗢 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗻 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀

The strike coincided with a meeting of defence ministers from Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey in Sofia to discuss the deteriorating security situation in the Black Sea.

Following the talks, the three NATO members issued a joint statement condemning attacks on commercial shipping and warning of the dangers posed to maritime infrastructure and navigation.

They called for an "immediate cessation of attacks that threaten commercial ships, maritime infrastructure and the safety of maritime activities".

The ministers also agreed to strengthen intelligence sharing, improve early warning capabilities and enhance coordination to address emerging maritime threats.

The discussions reflected growing concern among Black Sea coastal states following repeated drone incidents involving commercial vessels.

𝗦𝘂𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗮

A series of similar incidents off the coasts of Bulgaria and Romania this month has raised questions among some NATO members about whether the attacks are intended to test the alliance's response amid Russia's continuing war against Ukraine.

Russia has not claimed responsibility for the recent strikes, and no conclusive evidence identifying the perpetrators has been publicly established.

Earlier this month, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev told Parliament that suspicion had fallen on Moscow but acknowledged the absence of proof.

"The logic points in that direction... The problem is that we cannot prove it," Radev said.

The incidents have heightened concerns about the vulnerability of civilian shipping routes in a region already affected by the military confrontation between Russia and Ukraine.

𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗢 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀

NATO has been strengthening its defensive capabilities along its eastern flank in response to increasingly frequent drone-related threats.

In an October 15 post on X, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the alliance had reinforced its military posture, including by expanding counter-drone capabilities.

He said NATO had "strengthened our posture along the eastern flank including with increasing counter-drone capabilities" in response to the growing number of strikes on commercial vessels.

The latest sinking has added urgency to regional efforts to protect merchant shipping, with Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey seeking closer cooperation to safeguard maritime routes and prevent further attacks.