French Atlantique 2 Patrol Aircraft Spots Three Sea Drones off Bulgaria, Helping Save 18 Crew

A French Navy Atlantique 2 detected three sea drones approaching the container ship Contship Jet off Bulgaria on October 28, 2026, providing warning that helped rescuers recover all eighteen crew members. The aircraft alerted the ship, relayed its position to Bulgarian authorities and supported coordination after the Liberian-flagged vessel was struck inside Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone. Bulgarian naval units rescued fourteen Filipino and four Ukrainian sailors without injuries, but could not intercept the drones before impact. The ship sank later on October 28, at 20:30 UTC according to Varna Radio's navigation warning; responsibility for the attack remains unconfirmed, and the French aircraft's role was surveillance, warning and rescue coordination rather than engaging the attackers.