Ship carrying batteries and fuel goes down after drone hits near Bulgaria
An 18-person crew was rescued from the Contship Jet, which was carrying hazardous cargo during its fifth drone attack this month.
By Natalie Castro ·
The container ship Contship Jet sank on Wednesday after three maritime drones struck the vessel approximately 21 nautical miles off the Bulgarian coast. Bulgarian maritime authorities confirmed the sinking on Thursday, ending a voyage that had begun at the port of Haifa in Israel and was headed for Constanța, Romania.
All 18 crew members survived the incident. The team consisted of 14 Filipino and four Ukrainian nationals. Bulgarian naval and border police vessels rescued the group and transported them to the port city of Varna for medical evaluation. No fatalities were reported.
Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov identified the attackers as maritime drones. He noted that this was the fifth drone attack in the NATO country's exclusive economic zone this month. The strikes targeted a Greek-managed vessel while it operated in international waters adjacent to Bulgarian territory.
The cargo hold contained lithium-ion batteries, flammable liquids, and gases. The website maritime.bg reported that these hazardous materials required careful monitoring. Navy teams collected water samples from several locations in Bulgarian territorial waters and found no signs of pollution following the sinking.
The attack occurred while defense ministers from Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey met in Sofia to discuss regional security. The three nations issued a joint statement condemning the strikes on commercial ships. They called for an immediate cessation of attacks that threaten maritime infrastructure and safety.
The ministers agreed to increase intelligence sharing and improve early warning capabilities in the Black Sea. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev previously told Parliament that the logic points to Russia, though proof remains elusive. Russia has not taken responsibility for the recent series of attacks.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated on October 15 that the alliance strengthened its posture along the eastern flank. He cited increasing counter-drone capabilities as a response to the frequent strikes on commercial vessels in the region.
Source: WTOP News
