Ghost ship found off Bulgarian coast with fake crew
A small tanker with expired paperwork and just two crew members has triggered an investigation off Bulgaria’s coast. The vessel VIVA 962, built in 1993 and measuring 84 meters in length, anchored near Cape Emine without advance notice. The captain radioed that the ship needed repairs in Burgas, but authorities discovered no agent had been assigned and no repair facility expected its arrival.
Border police and maritime inspectors boarded the tanker and found only two Ukrainian nationals aboard, identifying themselves as the captain and engineer. They claimed to have sailed from Port Kavkaz in Russia. All vessel certificates had lapsed in 2024, leaving the ship without valid documentation for international travel. An anonymous official described it as essentially a phantom vessel, though the two sailors’ passports were legitimate.
Authorities have detained the ship at Burgas anchorage while prosecutors, customs agents and national security officials investigate. The inquiry aims to determine the vessel’s ownership, its voyage purpose and why such a dangerous crossing was attempted with minimal fuel and crew.
