Naval drones sink Israeli-operated cargo ship off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast
The Greek-owned, Israeli-operated vessel sank off Bulgaria after being struck by three naval drones, as suspicions grow over Russian involvement in a wave of Black Sea shipping attacks
Israeli-operated cargo ship, the Contship Jet, was struck by unidentified naval drones in the Black Sea off Varna, Bulgaria, on Wednesday.
The Contship Jet, a Greek-owned, Israeli-operated cargo ship, departed Haifa on Sunday bound for Constanta, Romania, just north of where it sank.
The Bulgarian Navy said the ship was struck by three unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) at roughly noon local time, sinking hours later and taking 421 containers with it.
All crew members were rescued unharmed, ZIM announced.
Immediately following reports of the attack, French maritime patrol aircraft conducted reconnaissance missions in the area and supported rescue efforts.
The Contship Jet is the ninth civilian ship struck this month alone in the Black Sea, leaving over 30 sailors dead.
This attack comes as the defence ministers of Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey were meeting to discuss maritime security in the Black Sea.
Suspicion has fallen on Russia over the attacks, although Bulgaria’s government has been reluctant to assign blame.