Two Russian oil tankers, carrying 29 crew members, were severely damaged in the Black Sea, causing an oil spill, according to Russian authorities.
Video footage released by Russia’s Southern Transport Prosecutor’s Office showed one of the tankers split in half and sinking amid a fierce storm, with visible oil slicks spreading in the water.
At least one crew member was reported dead, while the second tanker, after sustaining damage, reportedly drifted and may have later run aground, though conflicting reports remain.
The incident occurred in the Kerch Strait, which lies between Russia and Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014.
President Vladimir Putin has ordered the creation of a working group, led by Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev, to manage the situation, while authorities are investigating possible criminal negligence.
A rescue and clean-up operation is underway, involving tugboats, helicopters, and over 50 personnel.
Russia’s federal sea and inland water transport agency, Rosmorrechflot, confirmed that the two tankers, Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, sank due to the storm, with crews of 15 and 14 onboard. The incident resulted in an oil product spill.
According to Michelle Bockmann, an analyst at Lloyd’s List, the tankers are owned by Volgatanker and have a capacity of around 3,500 deadweight tonnes each. These vessels were likely used for transporting oil through Russian rivers or along coastal routes.
The full scope of the oil spill and the final status of both vessels are still unclear.