A Russian oil tanker carrying thousands of tons of oil products split apart during a violent storm on Sunday, spilling oil into the Kerch Strait and leaving at least one person dead, Russian officials said.
The 136-meter Volgoneft 212 tanker, built in 1969 and flagged in Russia, broke in half, with its bow sinking as waves battered its deck, according to footage shared by state media. Officials said the tanker had run aground and confirmed a spill of petroleum products.
A second Russian-flagged tanker, the Volgoneft 239, also sustained damage and was drifting in distress, the Russian Emergency Ministry reported. The 132-meter vessel, built in 1973, has a crew of 14 and a loading capacity of approximately 4,200 tons of oil products.
The incident occurred in the Kerch Strait, a critical waterway connecting the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov between mainland Russia and Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014. Both vessels issued distress signals during the storm.
Russia’s water transport agency, Rosmorrechflot, said emergency crews, including Mi-8 helicopters and rescue tugboats, were deployed to the scene, involving more than 50 personnel.
The Russian newspaper *Kommersant* reported that the Volgoneft 212 tanker was carrying approximately 4,300 tons of fuel oil at the time of the incident. Official statements did not specify the extent of the oil spill or the cause of the severe damage to the vessel.
Unverified footage shared on Telegram showed blackened waters and a partially submerged tanker amid rough seas.
