In brief
The CONTSHIP JET was hit by drones near Cape Kaliakra and sank at midnight, but all 18 crew were rescued. Bulgaria is conducting seawater sampling and investigations into the attack, while the European Commission condemns the incident and the military prosecution begins a case.
On Thursday, a container ship hit by three maritime drones east of Cape Kaliakra sank around midnight, BTA reports.
The vessel, named CONTSHIP JET, carried 421 containers loaded with light fuel oil and lithium‑ion batteries. All 18 crew members rescued and taken to Varna.
Maritime Administration teams inspected the wreck and said the cargo of gas oil would quickly evaporate and not reach the Bulgarian coast, meaning no immediate marine damage, BTA reports.
Environmental monitoring
Defence Ministry teams found no visible pollution at two sampling points, but the Environment and Water Ministry has planned seawater tests at five coastal spots to check for petroleum, PCBs and metals, BTA says.
A French patrol aircraft had spotted the drones an hour before the attack, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said, but had not intervened, BTA reports.
Sofia Military District Prosecution Office opened a pre‑trial investigation into the drone strike for possibly violating international law, noting the ship was Liberian‑flagged, BTA notes.
Admiral Emil Eftimov told bTV the drones approached from the east and did not enter Bulgarian territorial waters. He noted the navy remained on alert and that new anti‑drone capabilities were being deployed.
"We are not at war," he said.
Yes, Bulgaria co‑chair Ivaylo Mirchev asked on Facebook why Bulgarian and allied forces had not jammed or destroyed the drones after the French aircraft warned, calling the decision illegal, BTA reports.
"Bulgaria is missing every opportunity to destroy drones that are detected an hour before they explode," he said.
The European Commission expressed solidarity and called the attacks a dangerous escalation harming civil lives and global trade, offering cooperation with Bulgaria, BTA reports.
