Two Russian Tankers Damaged in Kerch Strait, Possibly Sunk
Two Russian tankers have been severely damaged and possibly sunk in the Kerch Strait due to bad weather. The Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239 were carrying around 8,000 tons of fuel oil when they were hit by strong waves.
The Volgoneft 212 had 13 crew members on board, while the Volgoneft 239 had 14. Both crews have called for help. Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry sent a helicopter with rescuers to assist. Thirteen sailors from the Volgoneft 212 were rescued, but one of them died.
The ministry is focusing on rescue operations and has not provided details about the current condition of the tankers.
According to eyewitnesses, the Volgoneft-212 was cut in half by waves near the coast of Kerch. The Volgoneft-239 sank quickly after a hole was made in its hull by strong waves.
The two tankers were built around 50 years ago and had been converted from full-fledged vessels to “river-sea” class ships in the 1990s. This conversion may have contributed to their sinking.
Two criminal cases have been opened to investigate the incident, but this has not been confirmed by official sources.
Russian forces continue to attack Ukraine, with a focus on Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts. Two people were injured in Mykolaiv during an overnight drone and missile attack.