site.btaRSV 421 Some 370 Miles Away from Equator

On the morning of January 20, the 25th day of its journey to Antarctica, the Bulgarian military research vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii (NAVAL RSV 421) is about 370 miles from the point in its route where it will cross the equator and enter the South Atlantic Ocean.

Maintaining a south-southwesterly course, RSV 421 is approaching the waters above the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, located along the length of the Atlantic Ocean floor where the tectonic plates of Africa and South America meet. Near the equator, the submarine ridge is divided into the North Atlantic and South Atlantic by the Romansh trench, the third deepest trench in the Atlantic (7,761 m).

The ship is sailing at an average speed of 8.5-9 knots in relatively favourable weather conditions - light winds on the port side of 2-3 metres per second 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.

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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