A container ship bound for Romania’s Port of Constanta caught fire after being struck by three maritime drones 39 kilometres off the Bulgarian coast. According to BNT News, the vessel sustained severe damage and developed a heavy list, while all 18 crew members evacuated in life rafts, IPN reports.

The vessel, sailing under the Liberian flag, was near Cape Kaliakra. It had departed from the Israeli port of Haifa carrying around 700 containers. Bulgarian authorities said that all crew members had been safely rescued in a joint operation involving the emergency services, coast guard, navy and air force.

The attack took place during a meeting in Sofia of the defence ministers of Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey focused on Black Sea security. At the close of the meeting, the three officials adopted a joint declaration calling for an immediate end to attacks on merchant vessels, which have intensified recently and resulted in casualties. According to the declaration, these incidents mark a dangerous escalation of tensions and pose serious risks to maritime safety. The three Black Sea coastal states and NATO allies reaffirmed their shared responsibility to take the necessary measures to ensure security and freedom of navigation in the region.