In 2011, 26 July from the depths of the Kuibyshev reservoir near the village of Syukeyevo Republic of Tatarstan has been raised "Bulgaria".The ship that holds a dark and sad memory of the terrible tragedy that took place on July 10.
This wreck - the largest catastrophe in the river transport in the history of modern Russia.
bit of history of the vessel before the tragedy
The ship was built in 1955 in Czechoslovakia.Since then, it has never made repairs.The original name of the ship - "Ukraine".
may be noted that the sailors have one superstition: it is impossible to change the name of the ship, under any circumstances.However, in 2001, the riverboat was given a new name - "Bulgaria".
Coincidentally, and Kuibyshev reservoir was organized in 1955, when it was built Zhigulevskaya power plant, overriding the Volga.While submerged hundreds of villages were left with the remnants of dwellings.
Wreckage "Bulgaria" was the same ill-fated place where once the ship has suffered trouble.
This is another horrific fact - "Bulgaria" once it has drowned in the same place and under similar circumstances.This was told by one of the former at the time one of the navigators press editions.This happened in 2007.During a heavy storm flooded the lower Kubrick (water penetrated into the room, too, from open windows).At that time, the crew found a way out of the situation and gave the ship to escape to the bottom.
Day tragedy - the wreck of the ship "Bulgaria»
July 9 - the first day of the usual cruise "Bulgaria" on the Volga ... No one could assume that this trip will result in a terrible tragedy for the whole of Russia.
after safe arrival in Bulgaria, on the second day (10 July 2011), closer to the dinner, at about 15 minutes past eleven the ship headed in the opposite way.All in all it was 201 passengers.
message was received from the radio operators of worsening weather.Wind gusts were supposed to 18 m / s, and it is quite tolerable normal.But after a while the wind began to increase and gradually turned into a storm.The ship began to list.
As a result, the slope increases the volume of water entering the vessel compartments in the vessel through the open windows has reached 125 tons per minute.In the next few seconds, dramatically increased the starboard roll to 20 degrees.About half of the second day was irreparable - sank the ship "Bulgaria".
about technical faults vessel
At that time, in the engine room of a ship as machinists usually worked, engaged in troubleshooting a break down in the beginning of the tour engines.It's almost normal, nothing to worry about and reparable situation for sailors.
Yet it is telling that "Bulgaria" - ship, which has long been in need of major repairs.And with all this tickets neighbors several cruises have been sold out for a long time, and cancel them no one was going.
rescue of victims, assistance
Unfortunately, the two ships sailing past the sinking ship - freighter "Arbat" and pusher "Danube 66" did not have "Bulgaria" and its passengers the necessary assistance.
first responded to the disaster proved cruise passenger ship "Arabella".In addition, the crew had saved, and first aid.
Captain "Bulgaria»
cruise ship captain was Alexander Ostrovsky.According to eyewitnesses, he was trying to bring the ship aground, but the ship quite a bit has not held up to her.
Perhaps the captain at the time realized that the ship is in imminent catastrophe.Though the rate was the highest, up shallow depth of the ship has not held only 40 meters.According to estimates of representatives of Ministry of Emergency Situations, in the case of removing the ship aground, the results and consequences of the tragedy would not have been so terrible and tragic.
Captain Alexander Ostrovsky, with many passengers died.On the same ship was Captain and sister, who also died.
Senior electrician ship Vasily Bayrashev told the captain to the last hope to save the ship and passengers and trying to do something.
consequences of the disaster
It was from the shore three kilometers.He suffered a terrible accident the ship "Bulgaria".The dead - 122 people.Total rescued 79 passengers, 14 of them were immediately hospitalized.The rescued were taken to the city of Kazan on board another cruise ship - "Arabella."
Immediately after the shipwreck for several days continued operation of lifting "Bulgaria" from the bottom of the reservoir and on the search for the bodies, involving huge amounts of equipment and rescuers.
crash investigation in early 2013 criminal investigation of the incident with "Bulgaria" was completed.
CEO - subtenant ship Inyakin Svetlana had subsequently softened punishment: 11 years replaced with 9 and a half years of imprisonment in a penal colony.
also earned the following sentence under investigation in this case: R. Khametov (mate "Bulgaria") was sentenced to 6.5 years;Head of the department of the Volga Kazan Irek management Gosmorrechnadzor Timergazeev - 6 years in prison;former chapters.state inspector of the same department Vladislav Semenov - 5 years;Senior Expert Rosrechregistra (Kama branch) Yakov Ivashov released from the sentence imposed and released in the courtroom, was amnestied (was originally sentenced to five and a half years).
However, the prosecutor's office of the republic of Tatarstan has appealed the verdict as too lenient.State prosecution has asked to change the above verdict of the Moscow district of Kazan and reappoint the four defendants harsher sentences: Inyakin St.- 14 years 6 months, Timergazeevu I. Semenov and century-8 years;Ivashov Ya - 7 years in prison.
Captains "Arbat" and "Danube 66" was punished with fines of $ 130-190 thousand.
cause of the tragedy
most major causes of the collapse of "Bulgaria" are the heavy wear of the vessel, its passengers and congestion of gross violations during the operation, and the strong storm.
addition, subtenants in the vessel does not have the necessary permissions to use it just for tourist cruises.
233 people as possible on the construction project was to accommodate "Bulgaria".The ship is designed for 140 seats for passengers.In the cruise on board the ship were 201 people with many children.Among the passengers were also pregnant women.
Many reasons accompanied by such a tragic outcome travel "Bulgaria".
One of the reasons was not sufficiently correct technical equipment of rescue equipment.Many drowned bodies recovered by divers, were vests.However, they are one and not saved.That means they did not meet the necessary requirements.
Many people were indoors "Bulgaria".They did not even have time to run out on the deck.Everything happened very quickly.According to eyewitnesses, the water boat took only two minutes to three.During this time chance to get the passengers of the cabins and the holds were not any.
Most importantly, the ship was technically defective and came with a large roll to starboard.Just this side and scooped up a large volume of water in the corner, and that was the main reason for leaving the ship under water.
reasons shipwrecks of this kind are not always single, complex.The most believable in the crash look above or a combination of different reasons: congestion of the vessel;technical malfunctions;adverse weather conditions;insufficient equipment and rescue tools.All this as a whole and led to terrible misfortune - the death of more than a hundred people (of whom 28 - Children).
cause of death of a large number of children
all tourist ships have a special program of animators at the time of worsening weather conditions during the journey.I had it, and "Bulgaria".The ship kept playing the music room for such cases.All the children were invited to the celebration.The oldest child was 12 years old.
At the time when the ship began to list, the children enjoyed the view.The frightened children screaming, calling for help of their parents.Due to the fact that adults have rushed to save their children, started a stampede.In such a situation could be saved only 79 of 201 passengers, 28 children were killed.
At the same time, in the most games room found the bodies of only seven children.The rest were in the hallway and in other rooms of the ship.They do not have time to get out.
rescued survivors
relatively happy were those who at the beginning of the tragedy was upstairs on the deck - they simply washed away.Survived, those who managed to stay on the rafts and other objects on the surface of the water.Many simply holding on to anything.Many even did not have time before the end to realize what had happened.
hope of salvation have intensified as appeared on the horizon, "Arbat" and "Danube-66."Awful - they passed.
Witness comments surviving passengers
Saved suggests that "Bulgaria" sank in a few minutes.I do not have time to pull the boat, only two inflatable rafts opened.
One of the survivors said he was resting on the ship together with his wife.At a time when the "Bulgaria" has become a heel, he grabbed his wife by the hand and ran out onto the deck.There are already many passengers crowded.A man found a lifeline and tied it to his wife, threw her overboard.Behind it he was able to send to the same man and two children, and then he jumped into the water.They were rescued by local fishermen in boats.
Another man told how to save five-year-old kid who lost his mother and grandmother, and then rescued and a woman.However, to save his wife, and pregnant, he failed.
Such heartbreaking stories every surviving passenger "Bulgaria" a lot.And almost all of them claim that many of the crew were trying to save themselves first.
Kuibyshev reservoir witnessed the terrible tragedy that brought death to send people to a pleasant trip.This disaster is the result of an unpardonable irresponsibility.
