Moscow: A Russian oil tanker carrying thousands of tonnes of oil products split in two during a severe storm on Sunday, causing a significant oil spill in the Kerch Strait. Another tanker, also damaged, was reported to be in distress, according to Russian authorities.
At least one fatality has been confirmed. The 136-meter Volgoneft 212 tanker, with a crew of 15, broke apart, with its bow sinking into the stormy waters. State media footage depicted waves crashing over the vessel’s deck. The tanker, flying the Russian flag and built in 1969, ran aground due to the damage, officials confirmed.
“There was a spill of petroleum products,” stated Rosmorrechflot, Russia’s water transport agency.
A second vessel, the 132-meter Volgoneft 239, also Russian-flagged and built in 1973, sustained damage and was adrift in the Kerch Strait. The ship had 14 crew members on board. Both tankers are designed to carry approximately 4,200 tonnes of oil products each.
Official reports have yet to specify the scale of the oil spill or explain the cause of the severe damage to the Volgoneft 212. Emergency services, including Mi-8 helicopters and rescue tugboats, were deployed to the area, with over 50 personnel participating in the response efforts.
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The incident occurred in the Kerch Strait, a vital waterway connecting mainland Russia and Crimea, the latter annexed by Russia in 2014. Both tankers issued distress signals amidst the storm.
Kommersant, a Russian newspaper, reported that the Volgoneft 212 was transporting approximately 4,300 tonnes of fuel oil at the time of the incident. Unverified footage shared on Telegram revealed stormy seas, blackened waters, and a half-submerged tanker.
Efforts to contain the spill and assess the environmental impact are ongoing.
