Large Bulker Abandoned After Attack Drifts Hundreds of Miles in Black Sea
Bulgaria’s military reports it is monitoring the movements of an abandoned bulker that is drifting in the Black Sea. A month after the vessel was struck near Ukraine, it reappeared earlier this week off the coast of Bulgaria, raising concerns over its movement.
The German-owned bulker Emil (175,463 dwt) has been adrift since August 5, when the crew abandoned the ship approximately 21 nautical miles from the Greater Odesa area. The vessel, which was built in 2012 and is 292 meters (958 feet) in length, was registered in Liberia. It was struck by a Russian drone, which caused a fire and the failure of technical systems. The crew abandoned the vessel, with reports that Russia again struck the ship, but it has remained afloat.
The bulker has been drifting in a southwesterly direction, with reports indicating it had been in Romania’s region of the Black Sea. On October 4, Bulgaria determined it had drifted into its EEZ. The Air Force and Navy conducted reconnaissance. The report placed the ship approximately 40 nautical miles east of Cape Shabla in northeast Bulgaria just south of the Romanian border.
Pictures confirmed the vessel was struck in the stern. Fire damage is visible on the stern as well as to the accommodation block. The bridge of the bulker appears burnt out.
The Bulgarian Navy issued a warning to shipping, and they are charting the movement of the ship. Bulgaria said it would continue to monitor the drifting vessel and that it is ready to take any necessary action if the situation changes.
It is not the first time Bulgaria has had to deal with a war casualty. In December, the shadow tanker Kairos washed up in Bulgaria days after it was attacked by Ukraine off Turkey after it entered the Black Sea. A tug appeared to move the hulk from Turkish waters but released it off Bulgaria, and it then drifted to the coastline. Bulgaria provided support for the crew that was on the burnt-out tanker and removed the vessel to a sheltered anchorage. It later said it had been reimbursed for the costs by the owners of the vessel and had sold the ship.
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Turkey has also had to deal with war casualties washing up on its coastline after drifting across the Black Sea. Two smaller cargo ships were reported on the Turkish coast after Ukraine commenced its assault on Russian shipping in the Sea of Azov this summer.
So far, there is no indication of a salvage effort for the Emil. The bulker continues to drift, driven by the currents and winds.
