NIZHNY NOVGOROD, September 22 - RAPSI. Investigators decided not to initiate a criminal case after concluding the death of the official, who was a witness in the case of the Bulgaria vessel's crash, was caused by suicide, the Investigative Committee reported on Thursday.

Bulgaria, the double-decked vessel, which was built in 1955 in Czechoslovakia, sank on July 10 during a thunderstorm three kilometers off the shore; it was heading to Kazan from Bolgar. There were 201 passengers aboard, 122 people died, 79 were rescued.

The body of Alexander Khramov, the 59-year-old deputy department chief of the Volga branch of the government's river and sea navigation watchdog, was found in central Nizhny Novgorod on August 22.