Transport minister comments on recent helicopter crash

The main reason for the helicopter accident near the village of Garmen (Southwest Bulgaria) was the near-zero visibility and the loss of orientation by the pilot, Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov told BNR on Sunday.

The civil aviation helicopter was spraying against pests. It took off from the village of Garmen on Friday morning. The helicopter and the body of the deceased pilot were discovered later on Friday in a precipice, about 50 metres deep, near Garmen.

According to Gvozdeykov, the pilot took a serious risk in taking off in this situation and the accident could have been prevented. All the information is focused on the fact that a rather risky take-off in such a situation was undertaken by the pilot, the minister said. He added that to fly a helicopter of this type, good weather conditions are needed, which was not the case on Friday morning.

Minister Gvozdeykov also commented on the construction of a third bridge over the Danube, for which the governments of Bulgaria and Romania submitted the form for a feasibility study and application for funding from the European Commission on September 20. According to the minister, around EUR 1.4 million will be the amount Bulgaria has to pay for the third bridge across the Danube.

He said that the initiative for the construction is on both sides, and this country is applying for 50% funding from the EC.

According to Gvozdeykov, the project will be implemented because the geopolitical situation in the region is a catalyst for this.