In brief
Three maritime drones struck a container vessel east of Cape Kaliakra, causing it to sink at midnight. All 18 crew members were rescued and no significant environmental damage is expected, according to Bulgarian authorities. Seawater sampling is planned at multiple coastal sites to monitor possible pollution.
A container vessel hit by three maritime drones sank around midnight Wednesday east of Cape Kaliakra, 21 nautical miles southeast of Shabla. All 18 crew members were rescued and brought to Varna, according to the Varna Regional Administration.
The Maritime Administration Executive Agency inspected the sunken ship, the CONTSHIP JET, and reported that the vessel was carrying gas oil, specifically light fuel oil that evaporates quickly, and 421 containers of various hazardous cargo. The agency said no significant adverse effects on the marine environment or coastline were expected, as the fuel is not expected to reach the Bulgarian coast.
Defence Ministry teams collected seawater samples from two locations in Bulgarian territorial waters and found no visible signs of pollution. The Environment and Water Ministry announced that additional samples would be taken on Thursday at five coastal locations—Durankulak, Shabla, Cape Kaliakra, Byala and Sozopol—to test for petroleum products, polychlorinated biphenyls, metals and other physicochemical indicators.
The Executive Environment Agency will analyze the samples in its regional laboratories in Varna and Burgas, with results to be made public. Monitoring of the marine environment continues in coordination with various competent authorities.
Unconfirmed: The exact origin of the attacking drones remains unclear. Admiral Emil Eftimov, Bulgaria’s outgoing Chief of Defence, said in an interview that the drones came from the east and did not enter Bulgarian territorial waters, but no official confirmation of their source has been provided. Requests for independent verification of the attack have not yet been satisfied by external parties.
