Russian oil tanker breaks apart in storm, spilling oil into Kerch strait; 1 dead

A Russian oil tanker carrying thousands of tonnes of oil products split apart during a heavy storm on Sunday, spilling oil into the Kerch Strait. Another tanker was also in distress after sustaining damage, Russian officials confirmed.

The incident occurred when the 136-metre Volgoneft 212 tanker, built in 1969 and with a crew of 15, was caught in the storm. State media footage showed the vessel breaking apart, with its bow sinking as waves washed over its deck. At least one person was confirmed dead.

Russian authorities said the Volgoneft 212 ran aground after sustaining significant damage. The country’s water transport agency, Rosmorrechflot, reported an oil spill from the tanker, although the exact extent of the environmental damage remains unclear.

Another Russian-flagged vessel, the 132-metre Volgoneft 239, also suffered damage during the storm. The ship, built in 1973, was left drifting with a crew of 14. Both tankers have a combined oil product capacity of about 4,200 tonnes.

Russian investigators have opened two criminal cases to examine potential safety violations related to the incident. Authorities are probing how one of the tankers sustained such serious damage, with no immediate explanation given.

President Vladimir Putin has ordered the creation of a working group to address the ongoing rescue efforts and to mitigate the environmental impact of the oil spill. This follows a meeting between Putin and ministers for emergencies and environment, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

The distress signals from both vessels were received while they were navigating the Kerch Strait, located between mainland Russia and Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. The incident prompted a swift response, with over 50 personnel and rescue equipment, including Mi-8 helicopters and tugboats, deployed to the scene.

Svetlana Radionova, head of Russia's environmental watchdog Rosprirodnadzor, stated that specialists are currently assessing the damage on-site.

According to Russian media, the Volgoneft 212 was carrying approximately 4,300 tonnes of fuel oil at the time of the incident.

Unverified video footage shared on Telegram depicted blackened water amid stormy seas, showing the partially submerged tanker.