New Lead in Nessebar Parasailing Tragedy: Sailor Threw Buckles Into Sea to Cover Up Evidence

Disturbing new details have surfaced about the parasailing tragedy in the coastal town of Nessebar, where an 8-year-old boy lost his life after falling from a parachute ride above the sea. Photographs taken just minutes before the incident reveal that the safety harnesses were visibly worn, yet the mother and child were still lifted into the air.

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Evidence presented in court suggests that the boat’s sailor threw the buckles into the sea after the child’s fatal fall. None of the men involved had the necessary professional qualifications to operate the parasailing attraction. These facts came to light during a court hearing to determine pre-trial detention measures for the three men charged over the incident.

The supervisor and the sailor involved in the fatal flight will remain in custody. Prosecutors argue the case demonstrates a complete disregard for safety standards.

Prosecutor Suzana Koinova:
“Based on the evidence collected so far, the strictest measure of restraint – detention in custody – is required.”

When asked by BNT whether the parasailing flight had been officially registered or whether any documentation or receipts had been issued, prosecutors said the investigation was still at a very early stage.

Photographs shown in court, taken moments before the mother and child took flight, clearly depict both of the child’s harnesses in poor condition.

Vanya Radieva, lawyer for the captain Hristo Raev, commented:
“Yes, I saw that in one place the stitching on the strap was slightly twisted, but I cannot state with certainty that the harness was visibly defective. Regulations clearly stipulate that the crew of a parasailing boat must consist of two trained personnel – a captain and a parasailing instructor. In this case, we had only a captain and a sailor, and no employment contracts have been submitted to the case files to show their actual job descriptions.”

It was also revealed in court that sailor Kamen Tenev was the one who fitted the harnesses on the mother and child before take-off. After the accident, he allegedly discarded the buckles into the sea.

According to defence lawyers, none of the three defendants had been employed as parasailing specialists. The base supervisor was officially hired as a cashier, while the sailor was tasked with responsibilities normally reserved for a trained parasailing instructor.

Zahari Kirilov, lawyer for sailor Kamen Tenev:
“No one can be held criminally liable for responsibilities that legally fall to someone else. The absence of a certified instructor was not addressed by the court, nor was the liability of the company’s manager. As for the claim that my client threw the buckles into the sea – we were only given seven minutes to review the documents, and even then we were not provided with the evidence. These are merely allegations by the prosecution.”

The boat’s captain was released on bail, with the court ruling that his responsibility was limited to operating the vessel itself and not the safety of the parasailing equipment.