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Russian Tanker Splits in Two Causing Oil Spill in Kerch Strait (Video)


Sun 15 Dec 2024 | 09:18 PM
Taarek Refaat

A Russian oil tanker carrying thousands of tonnes of oil products split in a strong storm on Sunday, spilling oil products into the Kerch Strait, while another tanker was also at risk after being damaged, Russian officials said.

An investigation into possible safety breaches has been launched after at least one person was killed when the 136-metre (450-foot) Volgoneft-212, carrying 15 people, split in two as its bow sank and waves flooded its deck, according to a video published by state media.

Officials said the Russian-flagged ship, built in 1969, was damaged and ran aground, while Russia's Federal Maritime Transport Agency said there had been a "leak of oil products".

The Russian Emergency Services Ministry said the second ship, the Volgoneft-239, also carrying the Russian flag and measuring 132 metres (450 feet) long, had drifted after being damaged.

Read also: How did Russia's 'shadow fleet' assemble its ships to transport oil exports?

The ship was built in 1973 and has a crew of 14. Each of the two tankers has a capacity of about 4,200 tonnes of oil products.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by news agencies as saying that President Vladimir Putin had ordered the government to set up a working group to carry out the rescue operation and mitigate the impact of the fuel spill, after Putin met with the ministers of the Emergency Services and the environment.

The two ships were in the Kerch Strait between the Russian mainland and Crimea, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014, and had requested assistance.

Russia said it had deployed more than 50 personnel to the area and equipment including Mi-8 helicopters and rescue tug boats.

In turn, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that the tanker Volgoneft-212 was carrying about 4,300 tons of fuel oil.