site.btaOil Spill Reported Near Giurgiu after Barge Partially Sinks; No Risk to Bulgarian Waters So Far

A barge has partially sunk off the Romanian bank of the Danube near Giurgiu, resulting in an oil spill, but Bulgarian authorities say there is currently no danger to the Bulgarian side of the river. Ruse Regional Governor Dragomir Draganov said that there is no immediate risk of contamination on the Bulgarian side and that he and his deputy, Georgi Georgiev, are monitoring the situation continuously and are ready to convene a task force if the situation worsens and additional measures are needed.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Romania Water Management authority reported oil pollution in the Danube near the Old Beach area of Giurgiu following the partial sinking of a barge. There was no crew on board at the time of the incident. Local authorities intervened promptly to contain the spill, which for now is limited to the port area.

According to Bulgaria’s Maritime Administration Executive Agency, the pollution is not significant at this stage. Teams from the agency’s Emergency and Rescue Operations Directorate have been dispatched to the area around river kilometer 490 and downstream. Monitoring of the Bulgarian section of the Danube is also being carried out using a drone. 

Romanian authorities said that a team from the Giurgiu Water Management Service has deployed absorbent materials and containment booms to limit the spread of the spill. A team of divers was dispatched from Constanta to try to prevent the vessel from fully sinking. Local officials reported the appearance of an oily film on the water surface but said no fuel odor was detected.

The area will remain under constant observation until test results are available to ensure the pollution does not spread further along the Danube, the Ruse regional administration added.