The Liberia-flagged container ship CONTSHIP JET was attacked by maritime drones in the Black Sea near Bulgaria's coast on October 28. Bulgaria's military reported three strikes on the vessel and said all 18 crew members had been rescued.
The attack took place in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, near Cape Kaliakra and the town of Shabla. The ship was sailing from Haifa, Israel, to Constanța, Romania. According to the Bulgarian authorities, three naval drones struck the vessel. The ship was damaged and the sailors abandoned it, prompting a rescue operation.
Bulgarian naval vessels took part in the response. The Defense Ministry said the area was also monitored by military surveillance systems and a French patrol aircraft. According to officials, the crew had been rescued by midday. The damaged ship was carrying 421 containers.
Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey condemned attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea, warning of the dangers to sailors and maritime infrastructure. In their initial statements, Bulgarian officials did not identify who had launched the drones.