The Variag aircraft carrier that had broken off towline Sunday and drifted in the Aegean for 14 hours is now again secured and on the way to China. The incident with the heavy cruiser-carrier sold to a Chinese businessman for $20 million took place in the vicinity of the Greek Skiros Island, in a force ten storm, and the vessel, having no engines, drifted for the rest of the day, until Greek coast guard ships could lift out the crew — 3 Ukrainians, 3 Russians, and one Filipino.
Bad luck seems an invariable travel companion of the Variag. After the 300 meter giant was sold to China, Turkey did not allow passage through Bosporus and Dardanelles for 15 months. One story has it that the Turks were afraid Beijing would use the cruiser-carrier for its designated military purpose. Turkey’s NATO membership and cooperation with the United States, not on the best of terms with China at the time, made Ankara take its time granting passage. Beijing, in turn, assured that the warship would be converted into a huge entertainment palace. The Variag was allowed passage only after Turkey and China signed a tourist cooperation agreement. In particular, the Chinese side assured that their citizens would be encouraged to go on tourist trips to Turkey.
At present, Ankara claims that the cruiser-carrier was barred passage precisely because such incidents take place in the Aegean and that Turkish authorities were allegedly worried the huge warship could damage some of the bridges linking Europe to Asia. In the end the cruiser-carrier was tugged uneventfully through the straits and into the Sea of Marmara, and then the Aegean when the calamity occurred. The towlines broke and getting the warship back under control took all day. The Variag is now on its way to China.
