The search for the missing Bulgarian sailor who fell over board has been suspended by the Romanian side on Thursday, around 5:30 pm.

The end of the rescue operation was announced for Darik radio by Zlatko Kuzmanov, Director of the "Search and Rescue" Department at Bulgaria's Maritime Administration.

The rescue operation has been discontinued 48 hours after the sailor disappeared from the ship "Norden". At the time when he fell overboard, the sailor did not wear a lifejacket and the chances for him to still be alive are very minimal.

A Ukrainian airplane had been prepared to participate in the search, but, in the mean time, the rescue operation had been discontinued. Due to the long distance between Bulgaria and the incident's location, the Bulgarian Navy was not able to send a helicopter.

The 41 years old Dimitar Mihailov disappeared Thursday from the Slovak ship "Norden" in Romanian territorial waters, about 130 miles northeast from Varna. 4 ships participated in the rescue operation. Other Bulgarian sailors are also part of the ship's crew.

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