A large metal object, initially reported to be a tank, is drifting in the sea off the village of Varvara in Tsarevo municipality, according to unofficial information. Hours earlier, a container ran aground on the rocks by Arapya beach, so two objects have now washed up near Tsarevo.
Three sea drones hit the container ship CONTSHIP JET on Wednesday, 28 October, and it sank off Shabla. Some of the 421 containers on board ended up in the water. It has not been established whether the two objects near Tsarevo came from the ship.
Related: Over 20 containers fell into the sea from the ship hit off Kaliakra
Nobody knows what is inside the tank, but it is thought to be empty. Burgas regional governor Diko Dikov has headed to Varvara to see the scene for himself.
The area around the container at Arapya is cordoned off, and it has not yet been pulled off the rocks. The ship's manifest lists Christmas decorations inside it, not dangerous chemicals.
CONTSHIP JET carried lithium-ion batteries, acids, flammable liquids and other substances that can only be handled with special safety measures. Experts from the Regional Laboratory and the Black Sea Basin Directorate are at the scene, together with Zinka Stoykova, head of the Burgas regional environment inspectorate (RIOSV). They will test the sea water for oil products, polychlorinated biphenyls, heavy metals and other indicators to find out whether there is pollution.
Yesterday, maritime authorities warned that four containers are drifting east of Burgas Bay. They ordered the captains of passing ships to keep a safe distance from the floating cargo.