Bulgarian Navy Rescues 14 Filipino Crew Members After Drone Sinks Container Ship In Black Sea

Fourteen Filipino crew members were rescued after a drone attack that sank their container ship in the Black Sea and returned to the Philippines.

The crew reached Clark International Airport on Monday, November 2, aboard Qatar Airways from Doha. They were amidst the 18 seafarers aboard the container ship M/V Contship Jet. Three maritime drones hit the vessel on 28th October while voyaging from Israel to Romania. The other four crew members were from Ukraine, according to the Manila Times.

The Bulgarian Navy and border police vessels helped conduct the rescue and brought the crew members to Varna, Bulgaria, for medical assessments. The Bulgarian Maritime Administration said that the vessel sank afterwards. Reuters-verified video showed a sea drone running alongside the vessel before it turned into the hull.

The seafarers stayed at a hotel in Varna and were interviewed by the Bulgarian authorities. According to the Department of Migrant Workers, a staff member of the Philippine Embassy’s labor office in Budapest travelled to Varna to support them. The DMW and OWWA directed manning agencies to arrange physical and psychological examinations and debriefings, if needed.

This story was originally published by Marine Insight. Read the full story at Marine Insight →