Israeli Shipping Firm ZIM's Chartered Ship Sinks in Black Sea Drone Attack; 18 Crew Rescued

A container ship chartered by Israeli shipping firm ZIM sank in the Black Sea off Bulgaria after being hit by maritime drones, Bulgarian authorities said Thursday. The vessel went down overnight into Thursday, and all 18 crew members were rescued. The crew included 14 Filipinos and four Ukrainians. Bulgarian naval and border police boats pulled the sailors from the water and transported them to Varna for medical checks, where no injuries were reported. Officials said the ship was severely damaged and that the Bulgarian government had received advance warning but couldn’t prevent the attack. A French patrol aircraft reportedly flagged the threat. ZIM said it chartered the ship but did not own it and is arranging a replacement as preliminary financial damage appears minimal.