Jerusalem, 29 October, 2026 (TPS-IL) — A cargo ship operated by Israeli shipping company ZIM sank in the Black Sea after being attacked by at least three unmanned aerial vehicles, with all 18 crew members rescued, Bulgarian authorities and the company said.
The Contship Jet, which had departed Haifa Port bound for Constanța, Romania, sank about 17 nautical miles off Bulgaria’s Cape Kaliakra, within the country’s exclusive economic zone. It was carrying 421 containers, including lithium-ion batteries, corrosive liquids and acids.
The crew comprised 14 Filipinos and four Ukrainians, who were brought safely to the Bulgarian port of Varna. Preliminary tests found no signs of pollution, the Bulgarian government said.
The attack highlights the risks to commercial shipping in the Black Sea, where the Russia-Ukraine war has exposed vessels and maritime infrastructure to drone and missile strikes.
