Ukrainian Cargo Ship Eileen Sinks in Black Sea
A Ukrainian cargo ship named Eileen sank in the Black Sea near Bulgaria on Sunday, October 12. The vessel sent out a distress signal reporting it was taking on water and listing. The Bulgarian Navy coordinated a successful rescue operation, saving all ten crew members who had to abandon the ship. Authorities have ruled out the possibility of a mine strike, attributing the incident to structural weaknesses in the ship.
Rescue Operation and Crew Safety
The Eileen, which was sailing under the flag of Cameroon, encountered trouble around midday. The crew reported that they were unable to control the flooding, prompting them to deploy two life rafts. The Bulgarian Maritime Rescue Coordination Center quickly mobilized the Bulgarian Navy, which managed to rescue all ten crew members without incident. Their swift action ensured that no lives were lost in this maritime emergency.
Following the rescue, Bulgarian authorities investigated the cause of the sinking. They dismissed initial concerns that the ship may have struck a mine, stating that the incident was due to a “structural weakness.” This conclusion was supported by the ship’s maintenance history, which revealed significant deficiencies. The Eileen was built in 1993 and had been owned by a Ukrainian company since 2020. It had previously faced scrutiny during a June 2025 inspection in Greece, where inspectors noted issues with stability instruments, fire pumps, and emergency lighting, among others. Although these problems did not warrant detention, they highlighted ongoing concerns about the vessel’s condition.
Background and Structural Concerns
The Eileen was transporting a cargo of bagged gypsum and was en route to Chornomorsk at the time of the incident. Bulgarian Minister of Transport and Communications, Grozdan Karadzhov, confirmed that the breach was not caused by any external factors. A helicopter inspection conducted by Bulgarian authorities corroborated this finding, emphasizing that the ship’s structural integrity was compromised.
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In light of its maintenance issues, the Eileen had previously been detained for 15 days in June 2025 due to various deficiencies, including deck corrosion and structural problems. Following this detention, the Paris Memorandum of Understanding imposed a three-month ban on the vessel due to its multiple detentions. The ship had been released for repairs at a shipyard before the recent incident, raising questions about the effectiveness of the repairs and the overall safety of the vessel.
This incident adds to the growing concerns regarding maritime safety and the condition of aging vessels in the region. As investigations continue, the focus remains on ensuring the safety of maritime operations and preventing similar occurrences in the future.
