Two Russian oil tankers sink in the Kerch Strait — fuel oil has already started leaking into the sea

Two oil tankers, Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, are sinking in the Kerch Strait.

The Volgoneft-212 broke in half and has already run aground. The tanker was carrying at least four tons of fuel oil, which has already begun to leak into the water, leaving a large black stain in the sea. The Volgoneft-239 is now drifting at sea.

The incident occurred due to gale force winds and sea waves of up to seven points. Crew error in difficult weather conditions is considered to be one of the main causes of the shipwreck.

There were 13 crew members on the Volgoneft-212, and 14 on the Volgoneft-239. Rescuers on tugboats are trying to pull the sailors out of the water. A Mi-8 helicopter of the Russian Emergencies Ministry has flown to the scene of the accident.

For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.