The two ships had 29 crew members on board when calls for help were issued, the Russian Emergency Ministry has said
Two tankers carrying oil products are sinking in the Kerch Strait, the passage that connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov, according to the Russian Emergency Ministry.
The Volganeft 212 and the Volganeft 239 sent out distress signals and requested assistance amid high winds and powerful waves. The Russian water transport agency has said a total of 29 crew members were on board the two vessels.
According to Russian media reports, powerful waves struck the tankers several kilometers off the Black Sea coast. The Volganeft 212, carrying more than 4,000 tons of fuel oil, has run aground, and the Volgoneft 239 is drifting after sustaining damage.
📌In the Kerch Strait of Crimea, 2 cargo ships were cut in half.
— Akıncı (@Aknc35624923) December 15, 2024
After the Volgoneft-212 tanker, another tanker Volgoneft-239 sank. As a result of the impact of a wave, its hull was also split in two. 4 thousand tonnes of fuel oil spilled into the sea.#BREAKING pic.twitter.com/Znb0QILvaB
