Feature: Special Bulgarian land forces unit shows diving skills in Danube

The unit of the Bulgarian land forces specialized in engineering diving, for the first time in its over 30-year history showed some of its specific skills to journalists on Thursday.

Eight men and one woman, dressed in blue and black neoprene suits, together with support staff, participated in the 30-minute demonstrations that were held in their training center on the banks of Danube River near the town of Belene, some 220 km northeast of the Bulgarian capital city of Sofia.

In the beginning, two of them entered into the river with scuba equipment, with water temperature of eight degrees Celsius, visibility of less than half a meter, and current velocity at 0.8 m/s, to demonstrate search for a sunken object.

About 30 meters from the shore at a depth of about four meters, they carefully and patiently probed the bottom with their hands, found the object, and the appearance of a red buoy on the surface signaled their success.

Then they swam to shore, and ensuring team handed them a lift bag, which was subsequently inflated by air through a hose from the coast, and the find, a blue metallic disk, was pulled ashore.

Another method was used for finding and pulling a sunken trailer. First, by trawling from a boat, the vehicle was found, and then a diver descended from the boat to attach a rope to the find, and a truck with a winch pulled it.

Sergeant George Nachev, commander of the diving unit, told reporters that the usual activities of his team included search of people, objects and equipment.

"Our business is risky, but when we know what we do, the risk is smaller," Nachev said. "We are professionals, with eight to 10 years of experience as divers in the army," he added.

Maria Kotovska, the only female military diver in Bulgaria, was a former Balkan swimming champion.

She said she adored the water. However, she said her first dive into the Danube river as a diver was the most difficult moment for her so far.

"The current of the river is quite strong, and during my first entry into the Danube the ropes tangled. The teammate next to me helped me, and we emerged flawless," Kotovska said. Endit