Bulgarian maritime authorities have initiated a delicate operation to evacuate the crew of a massive, sanctioned oil tanker stranded perilously close to its Black Sea shoreline. The vessel, identified as the Gambian-flagged Kairos, is believed to be a key component of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet," used to circumvent international sanctions imposed over the war in Ukraine.
Attack and Drift: The Tanker's Journey to Bulgarian Waters
The 274-metre, 149,000-tonne vessel's troubles began last week. While sailing empty from Egypt towards the Russian port of Novorossiysk, it was reportedly struck by Ukrainian naval drones near the Turkish coast, causing a fire. Following this suspected attack, the tanker was taken under tow by a Turkish vessel.
In a puzzling turn of events, the ship entered Bulgaria's territorial waters on Friday before the towing mission was abruptly abandoned. This left the powerless Kairos adrift, described as moving "like a ghost ship" across the sea, until it ran aground less than a nautical mile from the shore near the port of Ahtopol.
Rescue Operations and Diplomatic Questions
On Saturday, Rumen Nikolov of the Bulgarian Maritime Agency confirmed that all 10 crew members of various nationalities are in good health and have sufficient provisions for approximately three days. He stated the empty tanker is stable despite poor weather and poses no immediate environmental threat.
"When the weather calms down, the ship will be towed to a safe place," Nikolov added. However, he emphasised that authorities must establish through diplomatic channels exactly why the crippled tanker was brought into Bulgarian waters in the first place.
Ongoing Monitoring and Evacuation Plans
Anton Zlatanov, head of Bulgaria's border police, told Nova TV that communication with the crew has been established. The seafarers have complied with orders to drop anchor, stabilising the vessel off Ahtopol. "The crew expressed their desire to be evacuated, but this must be done in the safest way possible," Zlatanov noted.
The situation is being closely monitored using a combination of radio communication, thermal cameras from the shore, and radar systems. The Kairos, built in 2002 and previously flagged under Panama, Greece, and Liberia, was sanctioned by the European Union in July of this year, with the United Kingdom and Switzerland following suit.
