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Russia’s Murena-300S Sea Drone Suspected in Black Sea Container Ship Sinking, Analysts Say
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A container ship identified as CONTSHIP JET sank off the coast of Bulgaria in the Black Sea following an apparent attack by an unmanned surface vessel believed to be of Russian origin, according to Reuters on October 29.
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Footage verified by Reuters showed a maritime drone moving alongside the ship before changing course toward its hull. Another video captured an explosion, after which the vessel gradually began to list.
According to analysts at Ambrey Analytics, the drone measured approximately five to six meters in length and featured a matte-black hull.
The analysts also noted that the vessel’s maneuvering patterns suggested it may have been remotely controlled.
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Based on its appearance and operational characteristics, specialists believe the unmanned vessel could be a modified version of Russia’s Murena-300S maritime drone or a system developed from the same design, Reuters reported.
On October 28, Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov reported that three maritime drones targeted a Liberian-flagged container vessel approximately 21 miles from Bulgaria’s Black Sea coastline.
The container ship CONTSHIP JET was en route from Haifa, Israel, to Constanța, Romania, when the attack occurred near Cape Kaliakra, within Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone.
The vessel suffered severe damage along its starboard side, with local fishermen reporting a fire aboard the ship. The crew abandoned the vessel using life rafts, while a tanker operating nearby was dispatched to assist with the emergency.
The attack on CONTSHIP JET comes amid a series of drone strikes targeting commercial vessels near Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast earlier in October. On October 13, three aerial drones struck Chelsea 3, a Maltese-flagged vessel owned by a Ukrainian company, approximately 18 nautical miles east of Byala, prompting all 15 crew members to abandon the ship.
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