site.btaTurkish Captain of Ship That Was Stranded Off Bulgaria's Coast in September 2021, Receives Suspended Setence

ESD 16:30:01 14-02-2022
LN1627ES.119
119 - JUSTICE - STRANDED SHIP - CAPTAIN - SENTENCE

Turkish Captain of Ship That Was Stranded Off
Bulgaria's Coast in September 2021,
Receives Suspended Setence


Dobrich, northeastern Bulgaria, February 14 (BTA) - The Turkish captain of the Panamanian-flagged ship Vera Su, which was stranded off the Bulgarian coast in September 2021, received a three-year suspended sentence Monday after the court in the Bulgarian northeastern town of Dobrich approved his settlement with the prosecution service.

The 59-year-old captain, identified only by his initials H. E., will also pay half of the legal costs of 3,600 leva.

The Vera Su was carrying fertilizers when it ran into shalows off the coast of the Kamen Bryag protected area. It was stuck there for 36 days and had to be unloaded in a complex operation to prevent an environmental disaster, before being towed to a port.

H. E. told the court that what happened was all his mistake.

It was established during the investigation that he allows the operation of the vessels with faulty watchstanding controls. That led to the stranding of the ship and to damage of property.

The second mate of Vera Su, 26-year-old K.A., who was watchstander on the night of the accident, was released on 2,000 leva bail awaiting the submission to court of his indictment.

The prosecution service in the northeastern town of Kavarna has yet to establish what pollution, if any, the accident caused. They are also checking the actions of the competent state institutions and whether those actions were adequate, timely and correct. LN/RY
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