Russian tanker splits in half and sinks during heavy storm as oil spills into the Black Sea
A Russian tanker carrying thousands of tonnes of oil products split in half and one person died during a heavy storm in the Kerch Strait in the Black Sea.
Russian investigators said on Sunday that two criminal cases have been opened into possible safety violations after the 136-metre Volgoneft 212 tanker, which had 15 people on board at the time of the storm, was destroyed and the vessel's bow sank.
The boat was built in 1969 and was significantly damaged before running aground, according to Russian officials.
"There was a spill of petroleum products," Russia's water transport agency, Rosmorrechflot, said.
A second Russian-flagged ship, the 132-metre Volgoneft 239, was left drifting after sustaining damage in the weather, Russia's emergency ministry said. That tanker has a crew of 14 people and was built in 1973.
Both vessels have a loading capacity of about 4,200 tonnes-worth of oil products and issued distress signals during the storm.
Official statements did not provide details on the extent of the spill into the Kerch Straight, which connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov alongside the Crimean Peninsula, or why one of the tankers sustained such serious damage.
Dramatic videos posted online showed the stern of the Volgoneft-212 ship broken off and floating vertically in the water. Interfax reported that some of the crew members were in the water.
Russia's emergency situations ministry later said 13 sailors had been evacuated from the first ship, but "unfortunately one of them had died".
"Two tug boats and two helicopters have been sent to the tankers," the Rosmorrechflot agency said.
"The evacuation is proceeding."
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the government to set up a working group to deal with the rescue operation and mitigate the impact of the fuel spill, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said according to news agencies.
Russia said more than 50 people and equipment, including Mi-8 helicopters and rescue tugboats, had been deployed to the area.
Svetlana Radionova, the head of Russia's natural resources watchdog Rosprirodnadzor, said specialists were assessing the damage at the site of the incident.
Russia's Kommersant newspaper reported that the Volgoneft 212 tanker was carrying about 4,300 tonnes of fuel oil.
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