The navigation of the Danube River has been hurdled after an Ukrainian vessel became stuck near the Bulgarian Danube island of Batin, the Bulgarian Maritime Administration announced.

The Ukrainian passenger cruise ship got stranded near Batin, Borovo Municipality, Ruse District, on Thurday, and has now been pulled out with the help of three other vessels.

This, however, led to the blocking of the Danube navigation, with more than 50 vessels on anchor in the Bulgarian ports of Svishtov, Nikopol, Somovit, and Ruse, Capt. Rangel Nikiforov, head of Navigation Control at the Bulgarian government agency "Maritime Administration" announced Friday afternoon, as cited by BTA.

Only vessels with a draft of fewer than 1.4 meters have been allowed to sail freely.

There are nine critical navigation spots in the Bulgarian section of the Danube, according to the Bulgarian Executive Agency for Exploration and Maintenance of the Danube River based in Ruse.

The most critical sections are near the Bulgarian Danube islands of Vardim, Belene, and Batin, the agency informed.

The waterway at the problematic section near the island of Batin was supposed to be expanded with an EUR 130 M grant from the EU Operational Program "Transport" but the project failed, and the funds were channeled to other projects.