ConteShip Jet Sinks After Drone Attack 21 Miles Off Bulgarian Coast
Key Facts
The Liberian-flagged container ship ConteShip Jet sank after being attacked by drones in the Black Sea off Bulgaria, the Associated Press reported, citing the local maritime administration. The attack took place shortly before 1 p.m. local time, about 21 nautical miles southeast of the coastal town of Shabla, according to Bulgaria’s defense minister. The agency said the ship was in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone, while authorities had announced no clear evidence identifying those responsible for the drone attacks on ships. ZIM confirmed that the ship had been chartered by the company and that its owners had told it the crew had been safely evacuated. The company added that an assessment of the vessel and its cargo was underway when it issued its statement, before the agency’s report confirmed the ship had sunk.
All 18 crew members were rescued, including 14 Filipinos and four Ukrainians, according to the Associated Press. The crew members were taken to the city of Varna for medical examinations after their evacuation, the agency said. ZIM said the owners had told it that all crew members were safely evacuated, and said it remained in close contact with them. The company’s initial information focused on the crew’s safety and an assessment of the vessel and its cargo, before the agency confirmed it had sunk. The crew’s rescue puts the incident in direct contrast with the loss of life recorded in other attacks on commercial ships in the Black Sea during the same month.
The attack on ConteShip Jet is part of a series of incidents involving commercial ships in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone during October. Earlier in the month, two ships came under attack; H&S Dignity sank after being hit about 17 nautical miles east of Shabla, while Chelsea 3 was damaged in a separate attack about 17 nautical miles east of Byala, according to the Associated Press. In a separate incident on Oct. 23, Black Sea attacks sank a cargo ship, killing one crew member and leaving three others missing, the agency said. These incidents show repeated attacks on commercial ships in the corridor, with outcomes ranging from sinkings and damage to survival. Bulgarian authorities have announced no clear evidence identifying those responsible for the drone attacks, according to the agency.
On Oct. 29, the defense ministers of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey met in Sofia to discuss Black Sea security, according to the Associated Press. The ministers, representing three NATO member states, condemned drone attacks on commercial ships in the region. They called for an "immediate halt to attacks that threaten commercial ships, maritime infrastructure and the safety of maritime activities." The meeting comes amid a succession of incidents involving ships in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone, including vessels that sank and others that were damaged. Bulgaria’s prime minister also said the country would begin talks with Romania and Turkey on joint proposals to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea.