Freighter Contship Jet sinks in Black Sea after drone boat attacks

A 19,960-ton freighter, the Contship Jet, sank in the Black Sea around midnight on October 28, 2026, after taking three hits from drone boats. The vessel was traveling from Haifa, Israel, to the Romanian port of Constanta with 421 containers aboard.

The Attack and Rescue

Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov stated the ship was struck approximately 21 nautical miles southeast of the coastal town of Shabla. The location is within Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone but outside its territorial waters. According to Bulgaria’s Ministry of Transport and Communications, a distress alert was received from Romania’s maritime rescue center in Constanta at 12:01 p.m. local time. The 18 crew members—14 Filipinos and four Ukrainians—abandoned ship at 12:13 p.m.

According to the Department of Migrant Workers, the Filipino crew members stayed in the water for two to three hours before being rescued. Bulgarian Navy and Border Police vessels, including the corvette Reshitelni and the rescue vessel Proteo, responded to the scene. Eight sailors were picked up by a Navy boat, while the remaining ten were recovered from the ship's lifeboat. All 18 sailors were transported to the port of Varna for medical examinations.

Cargo and Environmental Impact

The Contship Jet was a 524-foot long, Liberian-flagged feeder ship managed by a Greek company and chartered by the Israeli carrier ZIM. According to Bulgaria’s Environment Ministry, the ship's manifest included lithium-ion batteries, acids, corrosives, ethanol, flammable liquids, household chemicals, plastics, food, building supplies, lumber, and machinery parts.

While 20 containers reportedly went overboard before the ship sank, the Maritime Administration stated it does not expect a spill to reach the Bulgarian coast. Bulgarian naval teams collected seawater samples at five locations along the shore and reported no evidence of pollution.

Regional Context and Investigations

This incident marks the fifth merchant vessel struck by drones in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone since early October, according to the Bulgarian state news agency BTA. A military investigator has opened a case to determine the circumstances of the attack, and Bulgaria’s Military District Prosecutor’s Office has launched a preliminary investigation.

While no group has claimed responsibility, Tomas Alexa, a senior analyst at maritime risk firm Ambrey, told Reuters that the drone in footage appears to be a version of Russia’s Murena-300S or a similar design. Moscow has denied any link to attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea.

Why it matters

• The attack occurred while defense ministers from Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey were meeting in Sofia to discuss Black Sea security.
• The three NATO members issued a joint statement condemning attacks on commercial vessels and agreed to strengthen intelligence sharing and early warning systems.

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Sources

• autonocion.com: A 19,960-ton freighter hauling 421 containers to Romania took three hits from drone boats 21 nautical miles off a NATO country's Black Sea coast, its 18 sailors abandoned ship 12 minutes after the alarm, and it sank around midnight, the fifth merchant vessel struck off that coast in 22 days
• ft.com: Bulgaria votes as Russian attacks in Black Sea reach its shores
• greekcitytimes.com: Unseen Footage Shows Drone Attack That Sank Greek-Managed Tanker in Black Sea – Greek City Times
• theglobalfilipinomagazine.com: Filipino seafarers spent hours in Black Sea waters after drone strike sank their ship

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.