The Liberian-flagged oil tanker Contship Jet, managed by Contships Management, recently sank off the coast of Bulgaria. The incident occurred after the tanker was attacked by three naval drones. The tanker was en route from the port of Haifa to the port of Constanța and was approximately 17 nautical miles east of Cape Kaliakra at the time of the incident.
Details of the Incident
According to reports, the Contship Jet sank around midnight, and at least 20 containers fell into the sea. Some of these containers contained flammable liquids, gases, and other hazardous materials, prompting navigation warnings. All 18 crew members, including 14 from the Philippines and 4 from Ukraine, were quickly rescued by the Bulgarian Navy and Border Police and were taken to the port of Varna.
Developments After the Attack
A French Navy patrol aircraft identified nearby drones and alerted Bulgarian forces. After three collisions were recorded, the tanker sustained serious damage and began to list. Responsibility for the attack has not yet been determined. Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that its drones attacked an unidentified cargo ship heading towards the port of Chornomorsk, alleging that this ship was carrying equipment for Ukrainian forces.
This morning, Moscow also reported another attack on a cargo ship heading towards Odessa, claiming that this ship was carrying military and dual-use equipment. None of these attacks have been independently verified, and Russia has not provided any identities for the ships.
Security Implications
The increase in maritime attacks on commercial vessels has prompted Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler to warn both Russia and Ukraine during security talks with his Bulgarian and Romanian counterparts to cease targeting commercial shipping. The three NATO member countries condemned the attacks and agreed to strengthen maritime intelligence cooperation and early warning programs.
These recent incidents have occurred following a series of deadly attacks on commercial vessels off the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria this month. On October 23, the vessel Khoryv sank near Constanța, resulting in one sailor dead and three missing.
