On October 28, in the Black Sea near the Bulgarian coast, drones attacked the commercial container ship CONTSHIP JET, sailing under the Liberian flag. According to Bulgarian authorities, the vessel was hit by three drones. No one was injured in the incident: all 18 crew members were rescued during a swiftly conducted operation. A spokesperson for the Greek company managing the vessel confirmed that the crew is safe and thanked Bulgaria for the rapid execution of the rescue operations.
The Rescue Operation
Bulgarian authorities reported that all 18 sailors aboard the CONTSHIP JET were successfully evacuated. According to the operating company, a distress signal was received and the rescue operation was carried out promptly, preventing any loss of life. The vessel, which sustained damage after the multiple drone attacks, remained in the area, while the crew was placed under the protection of rescue services.
A Series of Attacks on Black Sea Shipping
The incident involving the CONTSHIP JET is the latest in a series of accidents involving commercial vessels in the Black Sea over recent weeks. On the morning of October 23, a commercial vessel struck by a drone sank off the coast of Romania; its crew of 13 consisted of 10 Ukrainian citizens and three Azerbaijani citizens. Earlier, on October 15, the San Marino-flagged tanker Wine Trader, en route from Tunisia to Romania, caught fire near the Romanian city of Sulina.
Broader Picture: Repeated Strikes on Vessels
According to several reports, drones also struck two commercial vessels on October 6 approximately 150 km from the Bulgarian town of Byala — the Palau-flagged Able and the Togo-flagged Alfa Watan; one of them sank, and its crew was reported missing. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev called the incident a «flagrant violation of maritime law.» Attacks were also recorded on the ships Chelsea 3 (Malta flag) and EMIL, while a Cameroon-flagged vessel was damaged near Novorossiysk. Against this backdrop, Bulgarian authorities announced their intention to seek assistance from NATO and the EU in the investigation.
Significance for Maritime Security
Repeated attacks on civilian shipping in the Black Sea heighten concerns regarding the safety of maritime transport in the region. Each new attack — whether damage, fire, or the sinking of a vessel — increases risks for crews and cargo and raises questions about the need for coordinated efforts to investigate and protect trade routes. Amid these developments, attention is focused on how further steps to ensure shipping safety in the Black Sea will unfold.
