Three Drones Sink Liberian Cargo Ship Near Bulgaria

A Liberian-flagged container ship sank on Thursday after being hit by drones near the Bulgarian coast.

The vessel, named Contship Jet, was struck by three maritime drones on Wednesday. The attack occurred roughly 21 nautical miles from the shore. Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov confirmed the details. This incident marks the fifth drone attack in the area this month.

The ship was traveling from Haifa, Israel, to Constanța, Romania. It was managed by Greek operators. All 18 crew members were pulled from the water. The group included 14 Filipinos and four Ukrainians. Bulgarian naval and border police vessels handled the rescue. The crew was taken to Varna for medical examinations.

Hazardous materials were stored on the deck. Maritime.bg reported that the containers held lithium-ion batteries, flammable liquids, and gases. Navy teams took water samples in Bulgarian territorial waters. They reported no signs of pollution.

The sinking happened while defense ministers from Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey met in Sofia. They discussed security in the Black Sea region. After the talks, the three NATO countries issued a joint statement. They strongly condemned the attacks on commercial vessels. The statement called for an immediate stop to actions that threaten maritime infrastructure and safety.

The nations agreed to share intelligence more closely. They also planned to improve early warning systems and coordinate their efforts in the Black Sea.

Recent incidents off the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria have raised questions about Russian strategy. Some alliance members believe President Vladimir Putin is testing support for Ukraine. Russia has not claimed responsibility for the strikes. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev told Parliament earlier this month that the logic points toward Moscow. He noted that the country cannot currently prove it.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte posted on X on Oct. 15. He said the alliance strengthened its posture along the eastern flank. The measure included increasing counter-drone capabilities.

The next scheduled step involves the implementation of the new intelligence sharing protocols agreed upon in Sofia.