Lifting of Russia’s Ill-Fated 'Bulgaria' Riverboat Launched

An operation has been started to lift the "Bulgaria" riverboat, which capsized and sank in minutes on the Volga River last Sunday, killing  at least 116passengers, including dozens of children.

"Two floating cranes arrived at the site of the tragedy today ahead of schedule. They are the Moguchy from Volgograd and the Shtorm from Dubna outside Moscow. They have cast anchor over the Bulgaria, officially marking the start of the operation to lift the vessel," Andrei Rodygin, spokesman for the Tatarstan branch of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry, told Interfax.

On July 10, the Bulgaria riverboat carrying 208 passengers listed onto its right side during a thunderstorm and sank in minutes 3 km off the shore.

Only 79 people were rescued.

The accident occurred near the village of Syukeyevo in the Kansko-Ustinovsky district of the Republic of Tatarstan.

The vessel, built in the former Czechoslovakia in 1955, had a capacity of 140 passengers, according to the website of the owner.

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