Last Bodies Retrieved From Sunken ‘Bulgaria’

KAZAN, Russia — The last two bodies have been recovered from the cruise ship “Bulgaria,” which sank in the Volga River two weeks ago killing 122 passengers, RFE/RL’s Russian and Tatar-Bashkir services report.

Six bodies had been found on July 24. All eight bodies have been taken to a forensic laboratory in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan.

A total of 28 children died in the tragedy. Seventy-nine people survived.

Igor Panshin, head of the Emergency Situations Ministry’s branch in the Volga region, said the bodies were found on the starboard side of the sunken vessel.

The ship, which is 56 years old and was operating without a proper license, has been partially raised. Panshin said the upper deck is above water and shows no visible signs of damage. Members of the rescue team similarly say they saw no visible damage inside the vessel, including the engine room.

It is not clear if the “Bulgaria” will be towed to a nearby dock for a “dry examination” or if the water inside the ship will be pumped out to float it in the shallow waters where it currently lies.

The investigation continues into the cause of the accident.

Read more in Russian here and in Tatar here

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