Seized ship 'Vezhen': Navigation Maritime Bulgare dismisses possibility of sabotage

The executive director of Navigation Maritime Bulgare (Navibulgar), Alexander Kalchev, dismissed the possibility that the crew of the ''Vezhen' ship committed sabotage and damaged the fiber optic cable at the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

Bulgarian maritime experts hope that the ship will be released soon, as the incident can be quickly clarified using technical means.

'Vezhen' sailed in harsh weather conditions on January 25. There was a strong wind and high waves. The sailors found that the left anchor had dropped and dragged along the bottom only in the morning when the ship was inspected for damage after the storm.

• Suspected sabotage: Swedish authorities detain Bulgarian ship Vezhen

"It is possible that the ship caused the break, but under no circumstances do I personally believe that there was sabotage or any other deliberate action on the part of the crew. The anchor has stoppers accordingly which, when the ship is at sea, are put in place. However, the bad weather and the waves that wash over it can always damage these stoppers. There could also be some negligence on the part of a crew member, which I personally doubt," Alexander Kalchev, said.

Captain Kalchev commented that the representatives of the Swedish authorities who boarded "Vezhen" behaved aggressively towards the crew. He added that, according to media reports, there was another ship in the area of the incident, besides "Vezhen."

"The ship's automatic identification system showed that the ship actually passed over this cable. I have no idea exactly when the cable was cut. The ship's movement at the time of the cut should be tracked to confirm whether this ship is responsible or not. I hope the investigators will quickly establish that this is not a matter of some deliberate action, but a technical incident due to the bad weather," added Alexander Kalchev.

Maritime expert Hristo Raev does not believe that the Bulgarian sailors committed sabotage.

"I expect the investigation to be relatively quick, with the facts, ship's log, and location being checked. We live in technical times, everything is tracked, the positions of the ships are known, so I expect the Swedish authorities to quickly establish what happened and I hope the ship will be released as soon as possible. According to Swedish law, there may also be some sanctions," explained Hristo Raev, maritime lawyer.

According to Dimitar Dimitrov, President of the Confederation of European Shipmasters Associations, the incident in the Baltic Sea is due to bad weather conditions.

"There will be an investigation. In such cases, there are usually insurers who take over the case and advise the shipowner. I suppose that guarantees will be given so that the ship is not detained, and the investigation can proceed in a way that neither party loses," added Captain Dimitar Dimitrov, President of the Confederation of European Shipmasters Associations.

While the investigation is ongoing, the ship "Vezhen" will remain detained. The captain of the vessel is 41-year-old Anton Atanasov. The crew consists of 8 Bulgarians and 9 citizens of Myanmar. The ship was en route to South America, loaded with fertilizers.