Three Naval Drones Hit Liberian-Flagged Ship in Black Sea Near Bulgaria

A container ship was hit by three maritime drones about 21 nautical miles off Shabla in the Black Sea as defense ministers from Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey met in Sofia to discuss regional security, Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said.

Stoyanov confirmed the attack during a trilateral meeting with Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and Romanian Defense Minister Ștefan Radu-Oprea, as well as the countries’ chiefs of defense. The vessel, identified by Maritime.bg as the Liberian-flagged CONTSHIP JET, had sailed from Haifa, Israel, and was heading to Constanța, Romania.

A tanker was sent to assist the ship, while its crew evacuated onto life rafts, according to Maritime.bg. Initial reports said the crew had abandoned the vessel, but details about the sailors’ condition and the extent of damage were not available.

“While this meeting was underway, a container ship was struck in the contiguous zone by three naval drones. The location is approximately 21 miles off Shabla,” Stoyanov said.

The minister thanked his Turkish and Romanian counterparts for agreeing to attend the meeting at short notice as the security situation in the Black Sea deteriorated. He said their participation reflected a shared commitment to responding jointly to the regional challenges.

Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey adopted a joint statement condemning attacks on civilian shipping. Stoyanov said the incidents marked a dangerous escalation and posed serious threats to safe navigation.

“We call for an immediate halt to the attacks that threaten commercial vessels, maritime infrastructure, and the safety of maritime activities,” Stoyanov said.

He added that the three countries had agreed to create a trilateral coordination mechanism for the Black Sea, with regular consultations, information sharing and further practical steps to reinforce regional security and stability. The ministers also agreed to hold additional meetings in the near future.

“Risks are increasing with each passing day; we must have an adequate response,” Stoyanov said.

According to Maritime.bg, CONTSHIP JET was about 16 nautical miles from Cape Kaliakra when it was attacked. The latest incident comes amid a series of aerial and maritime drone strikes against commercial vessels near the Bulgarian and Romanian coasts throughout October, prompting growing discussion that the Black Sea has become the world’s most dangerous waterway.

Maritime.bg reported that several ships had been sunk or damaged in similar incidents in recent weeks, including ROYAD MAMMADOV, ALFA WATAN, HS DIGNITY, ABLE and CHELSEA-3.