Contship Jet Sinks After Drone Strike Off Bulgaria

The Liberian-flagged container ship Contship Jet sank off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast after three maritime drones struck it on October 28, Bulgarian authorities said. All 18 crew members were rescued and taken to Varna for medical checks, officials said. The vessel went down about 21 nautical miles off Bulgaria, in the country’s exclusive economic zone but outside its territorial waters. It was traveling from Haifa, Israel, to Constanța, Romania, when it was hit, according to Bulgarian officials. The maritime administration confirmed the sinking the following day. The crew included 14 Filipinos and four Ukrainians. Bulgarian naval and border police vessels took them to Varna, the Transport Ministry said. Bulgarian Navy commander Rear Admiral Kiril Mihaylov said a French patrol aircraft had warned ships in the area about the drones before the strike, but authorities could not prevent the attack. The ship was carrying 421 containers, according to the crew, Bulgarian officials said. Accounts differ on how many went into the sea: officials said about 20 fell overboard, while another report said all 421 were lost. Authorities issued a navigation warning about the wreck and drifting...