Three thunderclaps were heard near Cape Kaliakra after the attack by three sea drones against the container ship CONTSHIP JET. The first two were around 12:00 and 12:30, and a third followed later, said Georgi Georgiev, mayor of the village of Bulgarevo closest to Cape Kaliakra.
After the first explosions, Georgiev went to Cape Kaliakra, from where he saw smoke from the ship. According to him, the vessel drifted into the sea, and military boats were spotted in front of the bow. The mayor specified that he could not say whether they were on patrol or participating in an exercise.
“I hope this thing stops“, said Georgi Georgiev.Concerns for fishermen and the coast
After the thunderstorms, many residents of Bulgarevo headed to the area of Cape Kaliakra. Their concerns are related to the possibility that the incident could affect the coast, as well as the safety of fishermen from Bulgarevo, Kavarna and Balchik, who work in this part of the Black Sea.
Georgiev also expressed concern about a possible spill from the damaged container ship. According to him, it is not clear what the ship was carrying, and such an incident could have consequences for fishing, fish resources and aquaculture in the region.
The crew was rescued
Earlier, Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov announced that the container ship was attacked about 21 nautical miles from Shabla. According to the information of the Ministry of Transport, the signal about the hit ship was received at 12:01, and the crew left the vessel at 12:13. CONTSHIP JET was sailing from Haifa to Constanta and was carrying 421 containers according to the crew.
The rescue operation ended with the evacuation of all 18 sailors. Naval and Border Police ships were dispatched to the area, and the crew was transported to Varna to be met by border guards and medical teams.
The mayor of Bulgarevo said that residents are waiting for more clarity on the condition of the ship and its cargo. So far, it has been confirmed that there are no fatalities among the crew, while concerns about a possible spill and its impact on the coast remain related to the unknowns surrounding the damaged container ship.
Sources: dariknews.bg, btvnovinite.bg