In brief
The CONTSHIP JET, hit by three maritime drones, sank east of Cape Kaliakra on October 28, 2026, after all 18 crew were rescued. Bulgarian authorities will conduct seawater sampling at five coastal locations and inspect the wreck, with BTA reporting that the ship carried lithium‑ion batteries and 421 containers of fuel, while other reports say the cargo included gas oil. No significant environmental impact is currently expected.
A container ship struck by three maritime drones east of Cape Kaliakra sank around midnight on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, according to Bulgarian authorities.
All 18 crew members were rescued and taken to Varna, while the vessel, described by BTA as carrying lithium‑ion batteries, drifted 21 nautical miles southeast of Shabla before sinking.
Bulgarian Maritime Administration teams inspected the wreck of the CONTSHIP JET and determined that the ship was carrying 421 containers of light fuel oil, specifically gas oil, which is expected to evaporate quickly and not reach the Bulgarian coast, BTA reported. The inspection found no significant adverse effects on the marine environment at this stage.
BTA also noted that 20 of the containers fell overboard during the attack. The crew, composed of 14 Filipinos and four Ukrainians, was safely evacuated.
In response to the incident, Bulgarian authorities will conduct seawater sampling at five locations along the Black Sea coast—Durankulak, Shabla, Cape Kaliakra, Byala and Sozopol—on Thursday. Samples will be tested for petroleum products, polychlorinated biphenyls, metals and other physicochemical indicators of water quality, BTA stated. The samples will be analysed at the Executive Environment Agency’s regional laboratories in Varna and Burgas.
The Ministry of Environment and Water highlighted that the sampling aims to establish not only any pollution but also any changes in seawater quality that cannot be detected through visual inspection alone. The results will be made public, the ministry added.
BTA reported that this was the fifth drone attack in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone since the beginning of October, underscoring ongoing security concerns in the Black Sea region.
