site.btaRSV 421 Continues South-Southwesterly Course towards S. America 

At the end of the 24th day of its journey to Antarctica, the Bulgarian military research vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii (NAVAL RSV 421) continues to keep a south-southwesterly course through the Atlantic Ocean towards South America.

At around 9:30 pm ship's time [10:30 pm EET] on January 19, RSV 421 was less than 1,000 nautical miles from the easternmost parts of the continent – Brazil's shores near Recife.

The ship maintains a speed of around 8.5-9 knots in very good weather with tailwind of 4-5 m/s and sea waves of 1-2 degrees Douglas. 

Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii is sailing through the Atlantic Ocean towards the second stopover on its voyage to Livingston Island - Mar del Plata in Argentina, where it is expected to arrive in early February. Researchers from the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute will board the ship there, led by their chairman Prof. Hristo Pimpirev, as well as scientists from Spain's polar programme.

Bulgaria and Spain recently marked the 30th anniversary of bilateral Antarctic cooperation. The two countries' bases on Livingston Island are only several kilometers apart and through the years the close cooperation between the members of the two expeditions has evolved into a warm camaraderie. Over the years, Bulgarian researchers most often reached the Bulgarian research station aboard the Spanish ship Hesperides. 

This year, NAVAL RSV 421 is carrying supplies not only for the Sv. Kliment Ohridski Antarctic Base but also for Spain's Juan Carlos I Station on Livingston Island and Gabriel de Castilla on Deception Island, thus further strengthening the friendship between the two Antarctic research programmes.

BTA's Daily News editor Konstantin Karagyozov is the only member of the media who is travelling on board the ship to Livingston Island and back, and will cover the Bulgarian expedition on site throughout the stay in Antarctica.

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