A Liberia-flagged container ship, Contship Jet, chartered by Israeli shipping company ZIM Integrated Shipping Services, has reportedly sunk after being struck by naval drones in the Black Sea off the Bulgarian coast.
The vessel was en route from Haifa, Israel, to Constanta, Romania, carrying 421 containers when it was hit approximately 17 nautical miles east of Cape Kaliakra on Wednesday, according to Bulgaria’s Ministry of Transport and Communications.
All 18 crew members were safely rescued following a coordinated response by Bulgarian authorities and subsequently taken to Varna.
According to the Bulgarian authorities, a distress signal was received at 12:01 local time. The crew abandoned the vessel just 12 minutes later as the emergency unfolded.
In a customer notice issued on Wednesday, ZIM said the vessel’s owners had confirmed that all crew members were safely evacuated.
“The situation of the vessel and cargo is being assessed,” the company said, adding that it was contacting customers whose shipments were affected by the incident.
The sinking raises fresh concerns over maritime security in the Black Sea, particularly the risks facing commercial shipping amid the growing use of naval drones and other maritime attack capabilities.
The extent of the damage to the cargo and the circumstances surrounding the reported strike remain under assessment.