Bulgaria has launched a rescue operation for the tanker Kairos, which ran aground near Ahtopol.Bulgarian authorities have begun rescuing the tanker Kairos, which ran aground in the Black Sea near the town of Ahtopol. The operation began on the night of December 6, in difficult weather conditions, just one mile from the coast, according to national television channel BNT.

The vessel has been aground for two days after a Turkish tugboat towed it into Bulgarian waters and abandoned it. An attempt to approach the vessel on the morning of December 6 was thwarted by heavy seas. According to BNT, the condition of the ten crew members is stable, and they have enough food and water for several days. The following day, after a request for evacuation, the crew refused to abandon the vessel, demanding to be towed to a safe area.

Earlier, the Bulgarian Maritime Authority confirmed the launch of a rescue operation for the attacked tanker. The Kairos was en route to Novorossiysk when it was struck by Ukrainian Sea Baby naval drones on November 28 off the coast of Turkey, according to CNN and Reuters. That same day, the Virat tanker was attacked 65 km off the Turkish coast, and was struck again on the morning of November 29. Both Gambian-flagged vessels are on UK and EU sanctions lists against Russia, according to LSEG and Bloomberg. On December 2, 148 km off Turkey, a drone struck the Russian tanker Midvolga, carrying sunflower oil and 13 crew members.