Swedish Authorities Inspect Bulgarian Bulk Carrier Vezhen Amid Sabotage Suspicions

Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Grozdan Karadzhov informed Parliament that Swedish port state control officers inspected the Vezhen, but a full report and conclusions are yet to be released, CE Report quotes BTA

The Vezhen, a Maltese-flagged Bulgarian bulk carrier owned by Navibulgar, was detained in Sweden on Sunday on suspicion of sabotage after an undersea fibre-optic cable breach. Karadzhov stated that key crew members, including the second mate, third mate, chief engineer, and boatswain, were questioned by police, while the captain and chief mate were interrogated onboard. Swedish law enforcement left the vessel on Wednesday evening.

Karadzhov clarified that as the ship is registered under the Maltese flag, it is not under Bulgarian jurisdiction. The crew consists of Bulgarian officers and Myanmar nationals. The vessel, carrying bulk sulphur, departed from a Russian port on January 24, heading to Uruguay and Argentina.

During a storm on January 26, the captain ordered an inspection, revealing that the port anchor was out of position and dragging along the seabed. The ship was stopped, and the anchor was secured before continuing its journey. On January 27, Swedish authorities suspected the ship’s anchor had caused damage to underwater cables.

The European Maritime Safety Agency later confirmed the vessel’s movements and stop in the affected area, aligning with the captain’s report.