--- title: "Drones attack container ship off the coast of Bulgaria: entire crew rescued" description: "On October 28, three drones attacked the Liberian-flagged container ship CONTSHIP JET in the Black Sea off the coast of Bulgaria. All 18 crew members were rescued with no casualties reported. The incident is part of an ongoing series of attacks on shipping in the region." date: 2026-10-28T20:59:58.578Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/drones-attack-container-ship-bulgaria tags: [black-sea, drone-attacks, shipping, bulgaria, maritime-security] author: "Roman V." publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Drones attack container ship off the coast of Bulgaria: entire crew rescued ![Container ship in the open sea with colorful cargo containers on deck](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/28/ataka-dronov-na-konteynerovoz-u-beregov-bolgarii/ataka-dronov-na-konteynerovoz-u-beregov-bolgarii-1.webp) ## Key Points - On October 28, three drones attacked the container ship CONTSHIP JET (Liberia flag) off Bulgaria; all 18 crew members were rescued, no casualties. - The incident is part of a series of attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea: on October 23, a vessel sank off Romania (13 crew members), and on October 15, the tanker Wine Trader caught fire. - Earlier on October 6, drones struck two vessels off Bulgaria (Able and Alfa Watan), with one sinking; Prime Minister Radev called it a «flagrant violation of maritime law.» 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. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Дроны ударили по судну вблизи Болгарии, экипаж спасен](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/droni-udarili-sudnu-poblizu-bolgariyi-ekipazh-1793202093.html) - Primary source: attack by three drones on CONTSHIP JET (Liberian flag) on 28.10.2026 off the coast of Bulgaria, all 18 crew members rescued, comment from the Greek operator; context on the vessel near Romania (23.10) and the tanker Wine Trader (15.10). - [Одно из двух пораженных БПЛА судов затонуло в водах Болгарии](https://www.dw.com/ru/odno-iz-dvuh-porazennyh-bpla-sudov-zatonulo-u-pobereza-bolgarii/a-79560797) - Context: 06.10.2026 strikes on Able (Palau) and Alfa Watan (Togo) ~150 km from Byala, sinking of one, statement by Prime Minister Radev. - [Экипаж вовремя эвакуировали: в Черном море дроны снова атаковали судно](https://www.kp.ru/online/news/7219692/) - Context: attack on Chelsea 3 (Malta), ship EMIL, damage to a Cameroon-flagged vessel near Novorossiysk; Bulgaria's intention to appeal to NATO and the EU. - [Дроны атаковали два судна возле Болгарии: ищут экипаж затонувшего корабля](https://korrespondent.net/world/4917745-drony-atakovaly-dva-sudna-vozle-bolharyy-yschut-ekypazh-zatonuvsheho-korablia) - Confirms the series of attacks near Bulgaria: one vessel sank (crew missing), second caught fire, 18 crew members rescued. ## FAQ ### Which vessel was attacked on October 28 and how many people were on board? The container ship CONTSHIP JET, sailing under the Liberian flag, was attacked; there were 18 crew members on board, and all of them were rescued. ### How many drones hit the ship and were there any casualties? According to Bulgarian authorities, three drones struck the vessel; there were no casualties among the crew. ### When did previous similar incidents occur in the Black Sea? On October 23, a drone-struck vessel sank off the coast of Romania (13 crew members), and on October 15, the San Marino-flagged tanker Wine Trader caught fire near Sulina.