Attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea intensify

Three hits were observed on the container ship CONTSHIP JET during a drone attack 17 miles east of Cape Kaliakra, and three Bulgarian Navy ships took part in the operation that rescued the entire 18-strong crew, the Ministry of Defence said. The incident is among the cases described in a CNN analysis of the growing danger to merchant shipping in the Black Sea, summarised by Bulgarian media on 3 November.

Attack figures come from a single shared source

At least 30 seafarers have died or remain missing, and at least 12 merchant ships have been attacked in recent weeks, CNN reports in an analysis summarised by 24 Chasa, OFFNews and Varna24. These are three publications relaying a single source, not three independent confirmations. Flank had found no independent confirmation of the total number of attacks and casualties at the time of publication.

According to these summaries, CNN attributes the attacks to Russia and, citing shipping and security sources, describes the combined use of maritime and aerial drones, including jet-powered systems. CNN links the Russian campaign to earlier Ukrainian attacks on ships using ports in Russia: according to the broadcaster, it is a response to those strikes. Flank has not independently established who was responsible or verified this explanation of the motives.

This is a developing story and further information may be added.

What has been confirmed about CONTSHIP JET

According to the Ministry of Defence, the Liberian-flagged container ship was heading to Constanța when it was hit by an uncrewed surface vessel at 12:00 on 28 October. A total of three hits were observed. By 13:45, all 18 crew members had been rescued.

The strike was observed by the Navy’s surveillance system and a French patrol aircraft. The aircraft passed information to the Navy’s operations centre about maritime drones spotted in the western Black Sea.

The summaries of CNN’s reporting also report that the ship subsequently sank. That outcome is not confirmed in the Ministry of Defence’s statement on the rescue operation.

Nova TV identifies the site of the attack as part of Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone. This is not the same as territorial waters, and the two terms should not be used interchangeably when describing the incident.

Bulgaria shares evidence and seeks regional coordination

On 29 October, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said that video footage of the drone and the facts of the case had been shared with allies and that expert examinations were under way. Prime Minister Rumen Radev said he was awaiting clear evidence of who was carrying out the attacks. Media attribution of the attack to Russia must therefore not be presented as a conclusion reached by the Bulgarian authorities.

Information sharing between Bulgarian command centres and allied patrol aircraft has already begun, the prime minister said. Separately, according to 24 Chasa, Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov announced on 28 October an agreement with Romania and Türkiye on a trilateral mechanism involving regular consultations and information sharing.

The practical question for Bulgaria is how surveillance can provide timely warning and a response when a civilian ship is threatened. In the case of CONTSHIP JET, a rescue operation after the strikes is documented; this does not in itself establish a capability to prevent another attack.