All 18 crew members were rescued after marine drones struck the Liberia-flagged containership Contship Jet off Bulgaria on October 28, 2026, according to Bulgaria’s transport ministry and the vessel’s charterer. The damaged ship and drifting dangerous-goods containers created a navigation hazard near Cape Kaliakra in the western Black Sea. According to Bulgaria’s transport ministry, the initial report was recorded at 12:01 local time on October 28, when the vessel was struck approximately 17 nautical miles east of Cape Kaliakra. The ship was sailing from Haifa to Constanta carrying 421 containers, according to the crew’s account relayed by the ministry.
Abandon ship within minutes
The crew abandoned ship at 12:13, just 12 minutes after the initial report, according to the ministry’s account. Bulgarian naval and border-police vessels responded, and all 18 seafarers were rescued and transferred toward Varna. Bulgaria’s naval chief described three port-side breaches in an interview with BNT, according to the DeepDraft situation report on the incident. The vessel remained afloat and drifting on the evening of October 28, and responsibility for the attack had not been established, according to the same report. Charterer ZIM confirmed the attack and evacuation, saying the condition of the vessel and cargo was being assessed and affected customers were being contacted.
Drifting containers flagged as hazard
A navigational warning, NAVWARN 761/26, reported more than 20 drifting containers, including dangerous goods, near 43°15.20′N, 028°48.50′E at 1200 UTC, according to the situation report. Mariners in the area were warned of the hazard as the damaged vessel drifted. The attack is the latest incident in the Black Sea, where commercial shipping has faced repeated drone and missile threats since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Black Sea is a vital corridor for grain, containers and energy cargoes, and attacks on merchant vessels have repeatedly disrupted traffic and insurance markets. The Contship Jet incident stands out for the speed of the rescue: every crew member was brought ashore alive despite three hull breaches and a drifting, damaged ship.
Related reading: Ukraine Sends 613 Drones Toward Moscow in Overnight Barrage and Global Oil Prices Rise After Houthis Claim Attack on Saudi Refinery.
