Elga-1 Vessel Reviews and Specifications

The salvage operation for the distressed vessel 'Elga-1' concluded successfully on December 8 after a concerted effort by maritime rescuers in the Black Sea, near Balchik. The incident began on December 3 when the cargo ship, which was transiting from Temryuk in Krasnodar territory to Varna, encountered a critical situation 160 kilometers east of Varna. The ship issued a distress signal indicating that water was entering the engine room and the primary pump had failed. Two rescue tugs responded swiftly to the emergency, initiating operations on December 7 by pumping water out of the compromised engine room, although challenges persisted. On December 3, the 'Sea Spyder,' a vessel transporting pipes for the South Stream gas pipeline, intervened by rescuing the crew of 13 who had taken refuge on an inflatable raft. The crew was subsequently brought to Varna and provided accommodations at a local hotel. By 7:40 p.m. on December 7, a diving team from Varna aboard the specialized vessel 'Nomad' successfully patched the leak. The following day, the 'Elga-1' was towed to the Port of Varna by the tug 'Barracuda' and additional support from Multraship tugs and local port vessels. An underwater inspection of the vessel is scheduled next. Port Captain Valentin Enchev praised the coordination between the authorities and the salvage team throughout the operation. For detailed reports, including photos and videos, visit Bulgarian maritime news sources: [1](http://www.maritime.bg/2014/12/06/27683-elga-1/) [2](http://www.maritime.bg/2014/12/06/27687-elga-1/) [3](http://www.maritime.bg/2014/12/07/27717/).

As of December 5 at 08:00 a.m. Moscow time, the 'Elga 1' remained afloat, prompting a proactive response to secure the vessel. Two Svitzer tugboats set sail from Varna, initiating a salvage operation aimed at towing the Elga 1 back to the safety of Varna's harbor. On the same day, the crew of 13 was safely transferred to Varna via the offshore supply vessel 'Sea Spider'.

On December 3, 2014, the cargo ship "Elga 1" sent out a distress signal at 7:35 PM Moscow time due to water entering the engine room via a malfunctioning stern tube. This vessel, which had set sail from Temryuk and was headed to Varna carrying 6,000 tons of coal, found itself in dire straits. The offshore supply ship "Sea Spider" responded promptly, arriving on the scene by 9 PM. By 11:12 PM, the master of the "Elga 1" reported that the onboard pumps were unable to manage the flooding situation and ordered the crew to abandon ship. At 11:55 PM, the ship’s 13 Russian crew members successfully transferred to a life raft. Their ordeal came to an end at 2:54 AM on December 4 when they were rescued by the "Sea Spider" and subsequently transported to Novorossiysk. As of the morning of December 4, the "Elga 1" remained afloat in position 43 37 N 030 04 E, approximately 97 nautical miles east of Varna.