A Liberian-flagged container ship sank in the western Black Sea after being struck by multiple unmanned naval drones, according to Bulgarian authorities and maritime reports. The incident, captured in video footage showing the vessel listing heavily amid thick smoke and explosions, marks the latest in a series of attacks on commercial shipping near NATO members Bulgaria and Romania this month.
The Contship Jet, a Greek-managed vessel under charter to Zim, was traveling from the Israeli port of Haifa to Constanța, Romania, when it was hit three times by sea drones roughly 17 to 21 nautical miles off Bulgaria’s northern coast, within the country’s exclusive economic zone but outside territorial waters. Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov confirmed the strikes, noting that a French patrol aircraft recorded the damage. 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 with no reported fatalities or serious injuries. The ship later sank around midnight after suffering severe damage and listing.
Video of the attack shows dark smoke billowing from the vessel as unmanned surface vehicles approach at high speed, with at least one impact producing a large plume. Maritime risk analysts have assessed the drones as likely variants of the Russian Murena-300S design, based on their size, appearance, and maneuverability. The Contship Jet was carrying 421 containers, some of which reportedly included lithium-ion batteries, flammable liquids, and other industrial materials. Bulgarian officials said initial inspections found no immediate signs of significant pollution, though containers were lost overboard.
This is at least the fifth such attack on merchant vessels in Bulgaria’s EEZ in October, with additional incidents reported off Romania. Ukraine, along with officials in Bucharest and Sofia, has attributed the strikes to Russia. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev has said the pattern “points in that direction,” while noting challenges in proving it. Russia has not claimed responsibility for these specific western Black Sea attacks and has separately reported its own strikes on vessels it claims were bound for Ukrainian ports with dual-use cargo. Defense ministers from Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey met amid the incidents and issued a joint condemnation of attacks threatening commercial shipping, calling for an immediate halt.
The strikes have heightened concerns over maritime security in a region already disrupted by Russia’s war in Ukraine. Commercial traffic, including routes supporting Ukrainian grain and other exports, has faced repeated targeting by unmanned vessels. NATO allies Bulgaria and Romania have increased coordination on Black Sea monitoring, but the attacks outside territorial waters have limited options for immediate interception under international rules. Shipping firms and risk analysts warn that the pattern could further disrupt trade through the Black Sea and raise insurance costs for vessels operating near the conflict zone.
The Contship Jet’s sinking follows earlier incidents in which other commercial ships were damaged or lost, with some crews facing fatalities in prior attacks this month. Bulgarian naval commanders reported that the vessel had been hit on its starboard side, starting a fire and causing a heavy list that ultimately proved unrecoverable. Officials continue to investigate the origin of the drones, which reports indicate approached from the east.
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