Maritime Accident News

Survivors of Volga sinking say passing vessels refused to help

Passengers who survived the sinking of the Volga River cruise ship M/V Bulgaria say that a passing oil tanker and another nearby vessel refused to stop and render assistance, HIS Global reported.

Authorities say that the bodies of 30 to 40 children remain trapped inside the vessel at the bottom of the river.

110 persons died when the Bulgaria capsized in a storm on Sunday. It sank within eight minutes. A lack of partitions made the boat more susceptible to breaching, a tourism expert said.

There were over 200 persons aboard the boat that was only certified to carry 120 people.

Moreover, there were only two rescue boats instead of the required four and the crew did not even release any of them, HIS Global said.

Other questions about unseaworthiness are being asked such as the headling "Did Open Port Holes Lead to Volga Sinking?" appearing in the maritime site Safety at Sea.

Authorities reported that there are 18 similar class of vessels operating on the river and three of them have been removed from service since the accident to address deficiencies.

Source: Safety at Sea.net

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