Bulgarian Navy Rescues 18 Seafarers After Drone Attack On Cargo Ship In Black Sea

Three naval drones attacked a container ship off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, confirmed by the Bulgarian Defence Minister, Dimitar Stoyanov.

All 18 crew members affected by the attack have been rescued by a Bulgarian naval vessel. The Liberian-flagged container ship was identified as the Contship Jet.

According to BGNES, the attack occurred approximately 21 nautical miles from Shabla on October 28, 2026. 18 sailors involved in the incident included 14 Philippine nationals and four Ukrainians, who were successfully rescued.

The crew evacuated the vessel and were brought on board rescue vessels. Eight crew members were taken by a Bulgarian Navy boat, while the other ten were sent by the container ship’s lifeboat at 12:53 p.m. The whole crew was taken to the port city of Varna aboard a Navy vessel for medical attention, the Transport and Communications Ministry said.

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