Two Russian oil tankers have been severely damaged in the Black Sea during a powerful storm, leading to a significant oil spill and the death of at least one crew member, according to Russian authorities.
Footage shared by the Southern Transport Prosecutor’s Office showed one of the tankers, Volgoneft-212, split in half and sinking, with oil streaks visible in the turbulent waters.
The second tanker, Volgoneft-239, was reported to be adrift after sustaining damage.
The incident occurred in the Kerch Strait, a vital waterway separating Russia from the occupied Crimean peninsula.
President Vladimir Putin has tasked Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev with leading a working group to address the crisis, Russian media reported.
Authorities have launched a criminal investigation into possible negligence, TASS news agency confirmed.
A rescue and clean-up operation is underway, involving tugboats, helicopters, and over 50 personnel.
The federal sea and inland water transport agency, Rosmorrechflot, confirmed that the two tankers carried crews of 15 and 14 people, respectively, and had a combined capacity of approximately 8,400 tonnes of oil products.
“The accident resulted in a spill of oil products,” Rosmorrechflot said in a statement, without providing an estimate of the volume spilt.
The Kerch Strait has witnessed similar disasters in the past. In 2007, another Volgoneft tanker—Volgoneft-139—split in half during a storm, spilling over 1,000 tonnes of oil.