Sea drones struck a container ship off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast on Wednesday, Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said. The strike is the latest in a series of attacks that have raised concern about the widening reach of Russia's war in Ukraine.
It was not clear who carried out the attack on the Greek container ship, which was sailing under the Liberian flag in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone. The vessel was en route from Israel's port of Haifa to Constanța in Romania. A maritime security source with knowledge of the matter said the crew had been evacuated, and Bulgaria's national radio reported that a tanker was sent to assist the damaged ship.
Stoyanov told reporters on the sidelines of a regional security meeting that a container ship was hit with three naval drones about 21 miles southeast of Shabla. The Greece-based owner and manager, Contships Management, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Drone attacks on merchant ships off Bulgaria have likely killed some two dozen international seafarers in recent weeks, and at least six merchant vessels have been attacked. The strikes drew international condemnation and led Bulgaria, a member of the European Union and NATO, to seek allied assistance to strengthen maritime security in the region. Ukraine has blamed the attacks on Russia. Prime Minister Rumen Radev has said the attacks appear to benefit Russia, while Moscow has denied involvement.