The operation to secure the Russian tanker “Kairos” near Ahtopol has progressed successfully, the Maritime Administration Agency director Zhivko Petrov confirmed. Emergency teams restored the vessel’s key systems and supplied power, preparing it for towing. The left anchor was released and moved, and all necessary equipment for the final towing phase has been staged. “From now on, we are proceeding according to plan,” Petrov said.

If weather conditions remain favorable, tugboats already on standby are expected to reach the tanker to begin the final removal. Earlier, teams from the Maritime Administration, including three electrical specialists and six repair personnel, boarded the Kairos, accompanied by a vessel carrying an emergency generator. About 120 meters of cable were laid to restore the tanker’s generator and hydraulic system, allowing the left anchor to be made operational as a spare while the right anchor was readied for lifting. Additionally, attachment points for ropes and steel wires from the tugs were secured. After the day’s work, the teams were pulled ashore due to intermittent power on board.

The operation is being conducted under the constant oversight of the Maritime Administration Agency, following all safety and environmental protection protocols.

The tanker had been anchored off the Ahtopol lighthouse for six days without proper inspection. The 276-meter Kairos, part of the Russian fleet, appeared near the Bulgarian coast on December 5 after being hit in Turkish waters by a Ukrainian naval drone while en route to Novorossiysk. It was then towed by the Turkish tugboat Timur Bey, which maneuvered the ship erratically, turned off its GPS, and left it in Bulgarian waters before returning to the port of Igeada. According to maritime.bg, inquiries by the Bulgarian Ministry of Transport to the Coordination Center in Ankara were met with the reply that the tugboat had completed its task and was returning to Igeada.

The incident raises questions about Bulgarian border and maritime monitoring. How did a Turkish tugboat enter Bulgarian waters towing a damaged tanker without detection? Why did the Border Police, equipped with modern EU-funded boats at the Sozopol base, fail to act immediately? For six days, the technical state and environmental risks of the ship were unchecked, despite its size and the stormy conditions. Only on the sixth day did the authorities conduct a proper operation, excluding the initial helicopter rescue of the crew.

The situation is particularly ironic given the ship’s name: in Greek philosophy, “kairos” denotes a critical moment requiring decisive action. In this case, Bulgaria’s border authorities took six days to respond.