On 17.2.2023 the motor vessel “LOYGA” made a passage/maneuver for berthing at the quay in the port of Varna-West. At 12:10 the vessel heaved up the anchor at anchorage No 1 for passage to berth No 13. At 12:40 a pilot boarded the ship. The vessel was heading towards the port of Canal No 1. At 12:57 she left the fairway, made a sharp turn to the starboard and grounded 50 meters NE of buoy No 117, near the base of the Asparukhov bridge. The vessel was pulled back and refloated at 13:46. A little later she anchored at anchorage No 3 in Varna Lake. There were no damages to the ship, cargo or the environment.
The Investigating Commission considers that the main cause of the serious accident was human error, consisting of a misunderstood and executed by the ship’s helmsman of the pilot’s steering orders, which led to the wheel being diverted in the wrong direction (starboard rather than port side), resulting in the grounding of the ship.
Factors contributing to the accident are the lack of a deck officer in the bridge team and the poor knowledge of maritime English by the helmsman, in particular, and in general by deck crew members.
The Investigating Commission issued 5 safety recommendations to the ship’s operator.