Two Russian tankers carrying thousands of tons of petroleum products sank in the Kerch Strait during severe weather, leaving one sailor confirmed dead and several others missing.
The tankers, identified as Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239, were battered by a strong storm, with one reportedly breaking in half.
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According to Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Volgoneft 212 sank eight kilometers offshore with 13 crew members and 4,300 tons of fuel oil on board. The Volgoneft 239, carrying 14 sailors and 4,000 tons of petroleum products, was severely damaged and began drifting.
Emergency responders, including a rescue tugboat and a Mi-8 helicopter, evacuated 12 of the 27 crew members. Four mechanics remain missing, presumed dead, while another sailor was confirmed to have died.
Some fuel oil has leaked into the sea. Maritime rescue sources told Interfax that crew errors under extreme conditions likely contributed to the disaster.
Both tankers, built in the 1980s and later converted for river-sea use, may have succumbed to structural weaknesses exacerbated by the storm. The Investigative Committee has launched criminal cases to examine violations of marine transport safety rules.
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