Black Sea drone attacks off Bulgaria: Contship Jet hit off Kaliakra

Drones have hit merchant ships in Bulgaria’s Black Sea economic zone since 6 October 2026. The latest attack came on 28 October, when the container ship Contship Jet was hit about 16–17 nautical miles east of Cape Kaliakra; all 18 crew were brought to Varna unharmed, and BTA later reported that the ship sank. Bulgaria has not named who is behind the attacks, and the European Parliament has called Sofia’s response ambiguous.

Update (1 Nov): what happened to the Contship Jet on 28 October?

All dates are 2026. Sources differ on some details, so each figure is attributed.

• 28 Oct, about 12:00 – The Liberian-flagged container ship Contship Jet, sailing from Haifa to Constanța, was hit about 16–17 nautical miles east of Cape Kaliakra. Varna24 put it at about 16 nm, in Bulgaria’s contiguous zone and outside its territorial sea; The Maritime Executive reported 17 miles. Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said three naval drones hit the ship (United24, citing BNT).
• Detection – Navy chief Rear Adm. Kiril Mihaylov said a French Atlantique patrol aircraft spotted the drones, travelling at about 26 knots, and the crew had been warned. He said there was no information on where the drones came from (Varna24).
• Crew – All 18 crew (14 Filipino, 4 Ukrainian) were rescued unharmed and brought to Varna (Varna24, The Maritime Executive, BTA). Varna Regional Governor Mario Smarkov credited the good organisation of the rescue.
• Cargo and ship – About 20 containers fell overboard, the Navy chief said, and the Navy warned shipping (Varna24, BTA). BTA later reported that the ship sank.
• Environment, 29 Oct – After an inspection, the Maritime Administration said no significant harm to the sea or coast is expected for now; the fuel is light gas oil, and monitoring continues (BTA). The Environment Ministry is lab-testing water at five coastal points and found no oil slicks near Shabla and Bolata (The Sofia Globe).
• Sofia meeting, 28 Oct – The defence ministers of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, meeting in Sofia the same day, agreed to strengthen intelligence sharing and early warning (The Maritime Executive, United24).

Update (26 Oct): what has happened since?

All dates are 2026. Each item is based on the source named.

• 14 Oct – At a hearing in parliament, Radev said Russia has a motive for the attacks but Bulgaria cannot prove its guilt. He said four ships had been hit near the coast in one week (The Sofia Globe).
• 17–20 Oct – The Chelsea 3, hit on 13 October, was towed to Burgas. Transport Minister Georgi Peev said drone remains were found on board (Varna Utre).
• 20 Oct – A large crowd protested outside the Presidency in Sofia against the foreign policy of Radev and President Iliana Iotova. Protesters demanded resignations (The Sofia Globe).
• 21 Oct – The cabinet used constructive abstention on European Peace Facility money for lethal aid to Ukraine. It does not block the decision; Bulgaria’s share goes to non-lethal aid (The Sofia Globe).
• 22 Oct – The European Parliament adopted a resolution holding Russia responsible for attacks on civilian ships. It urged Bulgaria to join NATO’s anti-drone initiative. Radev said Bulgaria awaits forensic findings, including from an allied specialist team (The Sofia Globe).

What happened on 6 October?

According to AP, the strike came at around 3 a.m., about 80 miles (roughly 130 km) off the coast. Capital.bg placed it about 150 km east of Cape St Atanas near Byala, in the Varna region. The Togo-flagged Alfa Watan sank. The Palau-flagged Able, carrying wheat, caught fire. A Bulgarian ferry evacuated 18 crew, AP reported. Radev called it “an unacceptable attack” and warned of higher insurance costs for Black Sea shipping.

Why did the European Parliament criticise Bulgaria?

The resolution says Bulgaria’s diplomatic response to Russia was weak. It asks Radev to back allied solidarity with action, The Sofia Globe reported. Eight of the 17 Bulgarian MEPs voted for it. Radev accused the MEPs of “manipulation” and said the EU should not tell a sovereign state when to join the NATO initiative.

What it means for Varna

• Shipping and port: the strikes have hit merchant ships at sea, not Varna port. Radev warned on 6 October that such attacks raise insurance costs, which matters for Varna as Bulgaria’s main port and naval base.
• Security platform: in reports published on 26 October, BTA and BNR said Mayor Blagomir Kotsev asked France’s foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot for much more drone monitoring in the western Black Sea. Barrot confirmed support for a maritime security platform in Varna and Constanța. More in France backs a security hub in Varna.
• Tourism: according to BTA, the meeting also covered the war’s effect on business, trade and tourism. No changes to cruise calls or travel rules had been announced as of 26 October.

For the wider picture, see why the Black Sea became the world’s deadliest shipping route in 2026.