Cargo Ship Hit by Three Drones in Black Sea Near Bulgaria, Crew Evacuated

A cargo ship was hit by three sea drones in the Black Sea near Bulgaria on Wednesday, prompting the evacuation of its crew, according to Bulgarian officials and Reuters.

The container ship Contship Jet, Greek-owned and sailing under a Liberian flag, was struck approximately 21 miles southeast of Shabla, in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, Defence Minister Dimitar Stojanov told reporters. The vessel had been travelling from the Israeli port of Haifa to Constanta in Romania.

There were no immediate reports of casualties, the Bulgarian news agency BTA said. A tanker was sent to assist the damaged ship, according to Bulgarian National Radio, while state television BNT reported serious damage to the ship's starboard side and a fire reported by nearby fishermen.

The ship's owner and manager, Greece-based Contships Management, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The incident is the latest in a series of sea drone attacks on merchant vessels in the Black Sea in recent weeks. Around 20 international seafarers are believed to have died and at least six merchant ships attacked near the Bulgarian coast, according to estimates. Ukraine has accused Russia of carrying out the attacks, while Moscow denies responsibility. Bulgaria's Prime Minister Rumen Radev has said the attacks benefit Russia, but no responsibility for Wednesday's attack on Contship Jet has been established.

Bulgaria has sought allied help to strengthen maritime security. Defence ministers from Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey met in Sofia on Wednesday and condemned the attacks on merchant shipping, agreeing to enhance coordination, intelligence sharing and an early warning system.