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747-237

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=107449

http://suomenkuvalehti.fi/kuvat/2009/09/03/bulgaria-plane-dictator

Bulgaria to Sink Former Communist Dictator Plane in Black Sea
September 3, 2009

The plane used by Bulgaria's former communist dictator, Todor Zhivkov, will be sunk in the waters of the Black Sea by the end of next week.

The news was announced Thursday by one of the individuals behind the idea - Orlin Tsanev, a photo reporter and Chair of the Divers' Union "Black Sea Dive Odessos."

A special platform began moving the 40-ton TU-154 airplane, without its wings, towards the Varna Lake to be transported by a barge to the shipyard where the body of the craft will be cleaned and all systems and cables removed. It will be then ready for sinking in the Varna Bay, 22 meters deep and about 500 meters way from the Galata Cape, south of the "Golden Sands" beach resort.

The location has been approved by Bulgarian authorities, according to Tsonev.

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 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.

The plane of communist dictator, Todor Zhivkov, is moved Thursday on a special platform to be prepared for sinking in the Black Sea.

A man takes photographs of an aircraft once used by the former Bulgarian communist dictator Todor Zhivkov, near the Black sea town of Varna, east of the Bulgarian capital Sofia, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. The aircraft which was once used by Zhivkov will be submerged in the Black Sea near the town of Varna to be used as a tourist attraction for the divers.

747-237 · Posted: Fri May 27, 2011 4:51 pm Post subject:

http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/05/26/idINIndia-57302020110526

Communist dictator's plane becomes Black Sea reef
May 26, 2011

The airplane of former Bulgarian Communist ruler Todor Zhivkov was submerged in the Black Sea waters near the city of Varna to attract scuba divers and tourists to the sunny coasts of northeastern Bulgaria.

The Soviet-made Tupolev-154, ordered specially for the needs of Zhivkov, eastern Europe's longest-serving communist leader, was grounded in 1999 but once flew with famous passengers such as former Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

The machine was placed at about 22 metres (24 yards) deep in the bay of Varna and 700 metres from the coast to form an artificial reef, Orlin Tsanev, chairman of Black Sea Dive Odesos association, which ran the project, told Reuters.

"The submerging of the plane aims to make it an attraction and (a place) for training divers," Tsanev said.

Some 30 divers swam round the plane on Wednesday and Russian diving clubs have already expressed interest in exploring it.

Tsanev said the Tupolev-154 was the biggest plane to be placed under water in the world and has considered applying to have it recorded by Guinness world records.

Sea vegetation around the 49-metre long airplane is expected to boost fish population and make it attractive to divers, especially for the ones with a nostalgic touch for the totalitarian era.

Zhivkov ruled Bulgaria for 35 years until the fall of communist regime in 1989. He died in 1998.

Four years ago a private firm bought Zhivkov's private yacht to organise cruises with it along the Danube River.

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