The ferry Slavyanin encountered a collision with another vessel east of Cape Shabla on Wednesday, November 8, and had to navigate towards Varna, Bulgaria.
Fortuitously, no injuries were reported, and there was no release of fuel in the aftermath.
Under the flag of the Russian Federation, Slavyanin serves as a transporter of gas in railway tanks from Russia to Bulgaria. Subsequent to its sojourn in Varna, it set course for the Caucasus.
The colliding vessel, flying the flag of Palau, hastily departed the accident site and headed to the Bosphorus, where Turkish authorities anticipated its arrival.
Despite sustaining a puncture and the flooding of three ballast tanks, Slavyanin avoided damage to its engine room. Exhibiting a slight tilt, the ferry made its own way back to Varna.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that the incident occurred at ~3:00 a.m.
Having been in operation since 1984, Slavyanin has been navigating the Varna-Caucasus route for approximately a decade, specializing in the transportation of rail tankers.
The circumstances leading to its proximity to Shabla/Tyulenovo remain unclear, given that the direct route to the Caucasus, although relatively diminutive compared to the expanse of Novorossiysk port, typically traces an eastward trajectory across the Black Sea.