Three Drones Strike Container Ship Off Bulgarian Coast
Bulgarian authorities rescued 18 crew members after three maritime drones struck the Contship Jet in the Black Sea during trilateral security talks in Sofia.
Three maritime drones struck the Liberian-flagged container ship Contship Jet on October 28, 2026, approximately 21 nautical miles southeast of Shabla, Bulgaria. The vessel was traveling from Haifa, Israel, to Constanța, Romania, when the attack occurred shortly before 1 p.m. local time. The Government of Bulgaria coordinated a joint rescue operation involving the Navy, Air Force, and Border Police to evacuate all 18 crew members, consisting of 14 Filipinos and four Ukrainians. While no fatalities were reported, more than 20 containers of hazardous materials were left drifting in the sea.
The attack coincided with trilateral security talks in Sofia between the defense ministers of Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey. The three NATO members condemned the strike and agreed to establish a coordination mechanism for intelligence sharing and early warning capabilities. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev stated that while proof is lacking, logic points toward Russian involvement. This incident is part of a broader surge in hostilities; four vessels have been struck in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone since October 6, and over 200 commercial ships have been targeted in the Black Sea since February 2022.
During the talks, Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler emphasized that adherence to the Montreux Convention has prevented the war from spreading to a wider region. Bulgaria proposed a diplomatic initiative involving all six Black Sea littoral states to establish a moratorium on hostilities and transform the region into a common security area. Additionally, the allies reaffirmed their cooperation through the Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Task Group to safeguard maritime navigation.
