All 18 crew members of Contship Jet were rescued after maritime drones struck the container ship off Bulgaria. The Liberian-flagged vessel caught fire and listed heavily while sailing from Israel towards Romania. Bulgarian naval and border police vessels joined the rescue, bringing the four Ukrainian and 14 Filipino crew members to Varna. Responsibility for the attack has not been established.
Maritime drones struck Contship Jet off Bulgaria on 28 October while the Liberian-flagged container ship was sailing from Israel towards Romania. A fire broke out and the vessel listed heavily. All 18 crew members survived and were rescued. Bulgaria’s navy placed the strike off Cape Kaliakra on the country’s Black Sea coast. The incident occurred as Bulgarian, Romanian and Turkish defence officials met in Sofia to discuss Black Sea security.[1], [2]
Bulgaria’s navy sent three vessels and the border police dispatched another. Naval personnel evacuated eight sailors and found ten others in the ship’s lifeboat. The crew, comprising four Ukrainians and 14 Filipinos, were taken to Varna, Bulgaria’s Black Sea port. Their condition was reported as good. Bulgarian Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov announced the rescue operation.[1]
Contship Jet was operated by Greece-based Contships Management on a commercial service linking Israeli ports with Romania and Bulgaria. It was reported to be carrying 421 containers when attacked. The vessel subsequently sank east of Varna in the Black Sea after sustaining severe damage.[1], [2]
