Drones hit a Greek-owned container ship off Bulgaria: three sea drones struck it 21 miles from Shabla, defence minister says

Sea drones struck a Greek-owned container ship off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast on Wednesday 28 October, Bulgarian Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said, according to a Reuters report carried by Greece’s public broadcaster ERT. It was not clear who carried out the attack.

Stoyanov told reporters on the sidelines of a regional security meeting that the vessel was hit by three naval drones about 21 miles southeast of Shabla. Reuters described the ship as sailing under the Liberian flag inside Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone, on a voyage from the Israeli port of Haifa to Constanța in Romania.

A maritime security source told Reuters the crew had been evacuated, and Bulgarian national radio reported that a tanker was sent to help the damaged ship. The Greece-based owner and manager, Contships Management, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A series of attacks. According to Reuters, drone attacks on merchant ships off Bulgaria have likely killed some two dozen international seafarers in recent weeks, and at least six merchant vessels have been attacked. Ukraine has blamed Russia for the strikes, and Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev has said they appear to benefit Russia; Moscow denies involvement, Reuters reported.

The attacks have drawn international condemnation and led Bulgaria, an EU and NATO member, to seek allied help to strengthen maritime security. Earlier cases are covered in our reports Black Sea: Drones hit two merchant ships off Bulgaria, one sank; Radev calls it “absolutely unacceptable” and NATO to send more surveillance and forensic assets to the Black Sea after drone attacks on merchant ships.

The owner has not yet commented and the attackers have not been identified.