Is oil waste leaking from the tanker “Kairos” in Burgas Bay?

Teams from the Executive Agency “Maritime Administration” are launching an emergency inspection to check for the presence of polluting substances in the area around the motor vessel “Kairos”, anchored in Burgas Bay. Reports from citizens have raised concerns about possible pollution off the coast of Pomorie and the Sarafovo neighborhood of Burgas.

The Ministry of Transport reported that a specialized patrol boat has already conducted two inspections of the tanker’s hull and the surrounding waters, and no direct leak from the vessel itself was not detected. However, during a survey within a radius of 1.5 nautical miles, isolated colored patches were discovered, which were immediately treated with an approved dispersant.

We remind that the ship “Kairos” was towed to Burgas Bay at the end of last year after it ran aground off the coast of Ahtopol on December 5, having been abandoned by a Turkish tugboat due to bad weather. The vessel, which is subject to sanctions under a European Commission regulation, remained off the coast of Ahtopol for ten days, during which time its crew was evacuated.

On December 15, a large-scale specialized operation was carried out using three tugboats from the Bulgarian Maritime Fleet, during which the tanker was towed and moved to a safe location in Burgas Bay. A month ago, it became clear that the “Kairos” had been sold to a new owner, who plans to tow it to Turkey, where the tanker will be cut up for scrap.