Engine failure and subsequent loss of control in bad weather conditions is the most likely cause of the sinking of the fishing vessel near Maslen Nos. This was stated by marine expert Captain Dimitar Dimitrov, quoted by the Bulgarian National Radio.
The experienced captain described the incident as a huge human tragedy and emphasized the specifics of the fishing profession. Asked about the justification for the risk of going out to sea in stormy weather, he explained that fishermen's income depends entirely on the catch, which forces them to live on the edge.
At the same time, Captain Dimitrov categorically rejected speculation that the vessel may have encountered a sea mine.
"In such a hypothesis, the explosion would have been heard along the coast," he argued, quoted by the Bulgarian National Radio, adding that the Navy is constantly monitoring for such threats.
Despite hopes for a happy ending, the expert was frank that the chances of finding survivors are minimal. The sea water temperature in the area is currently only about 6-7 degrees. Under such conditions, the survival time without specialized thermal equipment is severely limited.
"There are survival tables that are used in rescue operations. It all depends on whether the crew had thermal equipment and whether they were able to reach rescue equipment," the captain explained.
According to his professional assessment, the vessel sank extremely quickly - in just a few minutes. This logically explains why the experienced crew was unable to send a distress signal and adequately respond to the emergency situation that arose.