Ship sinks in the Volga, at least 100 feared dead
by Nina Achmatova
The tragedy occurred yesterday, probably as result of bad weather and obsolete security systems. The ship had on board at least 70 people above the maximum allowed. The Kremlin opens an investigation but many online fear that the truth will never be known, as was the case with the Kursk.
Moscow (AsiaNews) – The testimony of the 80 survivors will provide the clues as to why the cruise ship ‘Bulgaria’ sank in the Volga River. Nine people are known to have died and about 100, including 30 children, are reported still missing. The tragedy occurred in the middle of summer holiday season, in the Republic of Tatarstan.
Yesterday afternoon, the double-decker boat suddenly tilted on its right and sank in just a few seconds, taking down passengers and crew, settling on the bottom at about 20 metres from the surface. “According to our divers, chances to find people alive are minimal," said Irina Andrianova, Russian Emergency Situations Ministry spokeswoman.
It is still unclear why the boat capsized three kilometres from the shore, near the village of Syukeyevo, which is some 80 kilometres from Kazan, Tatarstan’s main city, 800 kilometres east of Moscow.
A combination of factors might have caused the sinking: bad weather, obsolete security systems and too many people on board. Built in 1955 in the former Czechoslovakia, the boat had passed a technical inspection on 15 June, and could carry a maximum of 120 passengers.
Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, who interrupted his vacation, said however that at the moment of the disaster, 196 people were on the boat, 15 of whom were not on the passengers list.
Investigators are trying to determine what role bad weather might have played in causing big waves, which according to some media accounts, rocked the boat.
Survivors said that a heavy storm with strong wind hit the ship. It is probable that rain pushed many passengers indoor, and that this led the ‘Bulgaria’ to keel over.
According to the Ria Novosti news agency, security regulations were not respected since the ship only had two lifeboats.
The first stories from survivors rescued by the prompt intervention of another ship, the ‘Arabella’, are coming to light, some full of desperate details, like the tale of the two parents who were saved by their daughter who was quick to warn them but drowned herself.
“We were stunned when she told us to put on our vest because we were sinking,” the desperate mother was quoted as saying in news.ru, but when I tried to hold her tightly by the hand the water swept her away.”
Used to unsolved accidents, Russians appeared already resigned to not finding the truth.
On the internet, many commentators are already comparing this tragedy to that of the Kursk, a Russian submarine that sank mysteriously in August 2000 killing all 118 crew members.
Then Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is the current prime minister, is remembered for his eloquent silence over the incident. In response to US TV host Larry King, who asked him, “What happened to the submarine”, Putin answered, a big grin on his face, “It sank.”
Since then in Russia, Putin’s CNN answer has come to epitomise the government’s indifference to its people’ tragedies.
Already just a day after the Volga disaster, many internet users have already started using the sad expression. On several blogs and websites, several postings have appeared, titled ‘What happened to the ship? It sank.’
Yesterday afternoon, the double-decker boat suddenly tilted on its right and sank in just a few seconds, taking down passengers and crew, settling on the bottom at about 20 metres from the surface. “According to our divers, chances to find people alive are minimal," said Irina Andrianova, Russian Emergency Situations Ministry spokeswoman.
It is still unclear why the boat capsized three kilometres from the shore, near the village of Syukeyevo, which is some 80 kilometres from Kazan, Tatarstan’s main city, 800 kilometres east of Moscow.
A combination of factors might have caused the sinking: bad weather, obsolete security systems and too many people on board. Built in 1955 in the former Czechoslovakia, the boat had passed a technical inspection on 15 June, and could carry a maximum of 120 passengers.
Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, who interrupted his vacation, said however that at the moment of the disaster, 196 people were on the boat, 15 of whom were not on the passengers list.
Investigators are trying to determine what role bad weather might have played in causing big waves, which according to some media accounts, rocked the boat.
Survivors said that a heavy storm with strong wind hit the ship. It is probable that rain pushed many passengers indoor, and that this led the ‘Bulgaria’ to keel over.
According to the Ria Novosti news agency, security regulations were not respected since the ship only had two lifeboats.
The first stories from survivors rescued by the prompt intervention of another ship, the ‘Arabella’, are coming to light, some full of desperate details, like the tale of the two parents who were saved by their daughter who was quick to warn them but drowned herself.
“We were stunned when she told us to put on our vest because we were sinking,” the desperate mother was quoted as saying in news.ru, but when I tried to hold her tightly by the hand the water swept her away.”
Used to unsolved accidents, Russians appeared already resigned to not finding the truth.
On the internet, many commentators are already comparing this tragedy to that of the Kursk, a Russian submarine that sank mysteriously in August 2000 killing all 118 crew members.
Then Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is the current prime minister, is remembered for his eloquent silence over the incident. In response to US TV host Larry King, who asked him, “What happened to the submarine”, Putin answered, a big grin on his face, “It sank.”
Since then in Russia, Putin’s CNN answer has come to epitomise the government’s indifference to its people’ tragedies.
Already just a day after the Volga disaster, many internet users have already started using the sad expression. On several blogs and websites, several postings have appeared, titled ‘What happened to the ship? It sank.’
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