Viktor Olersky: bodies may still be found on “Bulgaria”

Chief of operations on lifting “Bulgaria” Deputy minister of transport Viktor Olersky summarized the carried work and expressed confidence in fact of missing people being on the vessel.

“This day was really important. Operations have almost finished. The vessel was transported to the place where it could be sealed and dewatered. All hardships are behind. Today we were not able to start off, we were stowing the anchors for 10 hours, and even lost the one. Totally operations have been successfully finished. Ministry of transport team finishes its work and tomorrow Ministry of emergency situations will take reins. They will have to accomplish hard work on taking out bodies which are obviously on board. Not all premises have been searched, divers saw bodies inside but access is complicated by large amount of water”, - Viktor Olersky said.

“Operations may have lasted for 18-20 days. We have finished it earlier. I think the ship owner has to utilize it. “Bulgaria” cannot surely be repaired, for the ethical and technical reasons. I don’t think there is a passenger ready to be on board of this vessel again”, - Viktor Olersky stated. He also specified a number of factors which might lead to the shipwreck – the state of vessel’s bottom, out-of-service engine and weather conditions.
“The operation is very special for Ministry of transport, and all departments which took part in it. It is a unique operation from the technical point of view. Shipwrecks like this have never occured in Russia”, - Viktor Olersky said.