site.btaUPDATED Tanker Flying Foreign Flag Stranded by Ahtopol, Bad Weather Preventing Crew's Evacuation

Bad weather and rough seas are still preventing the evacuation of the crew of the tanker stranded off Ahtopol, said Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov, Director of the Border Police Directorate, on Nova TV on Saturday. He said a Border Police vessel is stationed at the base in Sozopol and is ready to depart with an inspector from the Maritime Administration, but they are waiting for the weather in the area to improve so that they can reach the tanker. 

On Friday, a tanker flying a foreign flag ran aground off the coast of Ahtopol. The ship's ten-member crew is safe with all necessary protective equipment and constant communication has been established with them, the Burgas regional administration reported then. According to initial information, the tanker is empty and is not carrying oil. According to information provided on Saturday by Rumen Nikolov, head of the Emergency Rescue Operations Directorate at the Maritime Administration Executive Agency, the tanker is called Kairos and is owned by a Chinese company.

Zlatanov explained that the tanker entered Bulgarian territorial waters from the south, and communication was subsequently established with her. The crew complied with the order and dropped anchor, and she is currently stable in position off Ahtopol, he added. The crew expressed a desire to evacuate, but this must be done in the safest way possible, Zlatanov noted.

"Once live contact is established, an attempt will be made to board the vessel with our officers and the inspector from the Maritime Administration," Zlatanov explained. According to him, if the weather calms down, this could happen during daylight hours. Zlatanov noted that the tanker is currently being monitored by a radio communication system, thermal cameras from the shore, and a radar system, while communication with the crew is being maintained.

Burgas Regional Governor Vladimir Krumov said on Saturday that the tanker has been stabilized and poses no danger. The ship's crew is safe and there is currently no need for evacuation, he emphasized. "We have attempted to reach the vessel with a Border Police ship, but the stormy weather and strong winds are hampering the operation," Krumov explained. He added that when the wind subsides, access will be provided by aircraft and helicopter to deliver equipment, water, and other necessary supplies. The tanker remains securely anchored and is empty, which minimizes any risk of pollution. In addition, the Border Police is continuously monitoring the situation on site, Kurmov underscored.

Nikolov told reporters in Varna (on the Black Sea) on Saturday that diplomatic channels must be used to establish why the tanker was brought into Bulgaria's territorial waters. He pointed out that an answer to this question could be obtained after contact with the Turkish authorities. The information that was previously announced that the Bulgarian authorities were not aware of the situation is untrue, the expert added. According to him, the tanker was being monitored along with the Turkish ship Timur Bey that was towing it. The Bulgarian authorities also saw the two ships separate in Bulgarian territorial waters; the Turkish ship then returned south while the tanker, carried by the waves and wind, headed towards the Bulgarian coast.

In response to questions, Nikolov said that the sailors on board were unable to say why the Turkish tugboat had stopped towing the ship. "Such information could be available to the captain or one of the officers, but they are not there. The details will be clarified once the weather allows representatives of the Bulgarian authorities to board the ship," Nikolov stressed. 

Currently, Kairos is empty of cargo and is located about 700-800 metres off the coast of Ahtopol, Nikolov specified. Despite the bad weather, the ship is stable and there is no danger to either the crew or the environment, he added. According to Nikolov, there are ten people of different nationalities on the ship; they are in good condition and have food and water for about three days. Most likely, when the weather calms down, the ship will be towed to a safe place, Nikolov added. According to him, this could be Burgas Bay. However, for this to happen, measures must be taken at the state level and the Council of Ministers must authorize the institutions to carry out the towing, the expert said.

Nikolov also said that a person who identified himself as a representative of a Chinese company had called the Coordination Centre. The ship is owned by a Chinese company, but no contact has been made with its owner at this time, the expert added. He declined to comment on reports that the tanker belongs to the Russian shadow fleet, the ship had been hit, was completely smoke-filled, and the people on board needed help.