A barge loaded with 1,133 tons of nitrogen chemical fertilizers sank in the Danube River near the Romanian town of Zimnich, which is located opposite the Bulgarian town of Svishtov, BTA reported.
The authorities are assessing the risk of pollution in the area.
In this regard, representatives of the national administration “Romanian Waters“ have taken several water samples to determine the impact on the environment.
"Traffic and transport on the Danube are not affected“, assured the mayor of Zimnich.
The barge arrived in the Romanian town on December 20 and was damaged even then. Last week, the vessel began to fill with water. Crew members warned that there was a risk of sinking.
Authorities contacted the people on board and the Romanian company that owns the vessel. They asked them to intervene to clean up the area and eliminate the risk of pollution of the river.