General cargo ship Babek Mahmudlu approaches Bulgarian coast without radio contact

The general cargo ship Babek Mahmudlu, flying the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis, caused an alert near Balchik, Bulgaria, during the night of October 24. The vessel, which was traveling from Italy to Giurgiulești, Moldova, lost all VHF radio contact for approximately one hour, failing to respond to dozens of calls from the Varna Coast Guard Center.

Around 03:00, the ship left the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Varna region and approached within five nautical miles of the Bulgarian coast near Balchik. Contact was finally established with the officer on watch at 04:01. In response to the loss of communication, a patrol boat from the Border Police was dispatched to the vessel's position. The ship was ordered to immediately change course and return to the TSS to ensure safe passage.

Authorities suggest the incident may have been caused by a bridge officer falling asleep. The situation has drawn comparisons to a similar incident five years ago involving the vessel Vera Su, which ran aground near the Yaylata protected area. Following that event, recommendations were made to shift the TSS further east to increase distance from the coastline, a measure that has not yet been implemented.