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Bulgarian Communist Dictator's Plane to Be Submerged in Black Sea



The personal plane of late Bulgarian Communist dictator Todor Zhivkov is to be submerged in the bay of the Black Sea city of Varna, where it will become an underwater tourist attraction.

The plane will be submerged on May 21 by diving centre Sredets, Anton Angelov, deputy head of the Technical Driving Bulgaria association, told Burgas News Thursday.

Besides serving as an attraction, the plane will be used for the training of underwater divers. Gradually, it will become an artificial reef.

Todor Zhivkov was a Communist politician and leader of the People's Republic of Bulgaria from March 4, 1954 until November 10, 1989.

I wonder how they think this will be another tourist attraction? surely people won't pay to dive and view it, after a few years I doubt you would even be able to see it and what about the cost to the environment ? I bet they haven't given that a thought?

The former government plane used by Bulgaria's long-standing communist dictator Todor Zhivkov will be sunk off the coast of Varna on May 24, creating an artificial reef that local authorities hope will offer scuba divers another incentive to visit the city, Bulgarian National Television (BNT) reported on May 23 2011.

The Tu-154 will be tolled from its current resting place in the port of Varna to Morska Gara and on will be submerged to become "
the largest artificial reef along the Bulgarian Black Sea coastline,"
the report said.

The aircraft, which will be transported to Morska Gara on a platform, will be submerged at about three km east of the St St Konstantine and Elena resort at a depth of about 20m.

Built in 1971, the jet was commissioned by the government squadron and was used whenever Zhivkov made long-distance trips to destinations like Mexico or Cuba.

The Tu-154 is a three-engine medium-range aircraft designed in the mid-1960s and manufactured by Tupolev aircraft company. It has been one of the mainstays of Soviet and Russian civilian fleets for several decades now.


Sofia Echo 23rd May 2011





I watched this being towed along Varna Lake this morning ,towards the channell to the open sea.....I did so wish i had had a decent camers to capture it...well its not every day i see a plane "
sailing "
along the lake...!

varnagirl wrote:

The former government plane used by Bulgaria's long-standing communist dictator Todor Zhivkov will be sunk off the coast of Varna on May 24, creating an artificial reef that local authorities hope will offer scuba divers another incentive to visit the city, Bulgarian National Television (BNT) reported on May 23 2011.

The Tu-154 will be tolled from its current resting place in the port of Varna to Morska Gara and on will be submerged to become "
the largest artificial reef along the Bulgarian Black Sea coastline,"
the report said.

The aircraft, which will be transported to Morska Gara on a platform, will be submerged at about three km east of the St St Konstantine and Elena resort at a depth of about 20m.

Built in 1971, the jet was commissioned by the government squadron and was used whenever Zhivkov made long-distance trips to destinations like Mexico or Cuba.

The Tu-154 is a three-engine medium-range aircraft designed in the mid-1960s and manufactured by Tupolev aircraft company. It has been one of the mainstays of Soviet and Russian civilian fleets for several decades now.


Sofia Echo 23rd May 2011


I watched this being towed along Varna Lake this morning ,towards the channell to the open sea.....I did so wish i had had a decent camers to capture it...well its not every day i see a plane "
sailing "
along the lake...!

Now taking bookings for the final flight, special price for scuba divers

Could have done with your camera skills out of my window ....!!!

All merged by Admin

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Plane of Bulgaria's Ex Communist Ruler Sunk in Black Sea



The plane used by Bulgaria's former communist dictator, Todor Zhivkov, was sunk in the waters of the Black Sea Wednesday at 10:44 am.

The craft is now 23 meters under the water surface about 2-3 miles away from the St.St. Konstantin and Elena resort near the Black Sea capital Varna.

In September, 2009, a special platform moved the 40-ton TU-154 air plane, without its wings, towards the Varna Lake and it was later transported by a barge to the Varna shipyard where the body of the craft was cleaned and all systems and cables removed.

The craft arrived at the Varna port on Monday.

With time, the 11-meter tall and 48-meter long plane will become an artificial reef and refuge for many sea species. Its remains will turn both into tourist attraction and practice diving ground. The access to the plane will be free of charge.

The former government TU-154 was manufactured in 1971 and made its last flight on September 16, 1999, between Varna and the capital Sofia.

The former trawler "
Pioneer,"
also used by Zhivkov, was sunk with the same purpose in the summer of 2008 near the town of Sozopol on Bulgaria's southern Black Sea Coast.

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video of the event

To me it looks like marine pollution, and BIG time

In September, 2009, a special platform moved the 40-ton TU-154 air plane, without its wings, towards the Varna Lake and it was later transported by a barge to the Varna shipyard where the body of the craft was cleaned and all systems and cables removed.
With time, the 11-meter tall and 48-meter long plane will become an artificial reef and refuge for many sea species. Its remains will turn both into tourist attraction and practice diving ground. The access to the plane will be free of charge.

As a keen diver , I think this is a great idea, the black sea is fairly featureless and fished out compared to many other countries. This kind of thing has been done many times in lots of different countries and there has never been a problem, it would have been very well cleaned and stripped of any potential harmful items, and i am sure would have been very well observed by the relevant authorities.