Two Russian oil tankers have been severely damaged in the Black Sea, leading to an oil spill, Russian authorities confirmed. Footage released by Russia’s Southern Transport Prosecutor’s Office showed one tanker split in half, with streaks of oil clearly visible in the surrounding water.
The incident occurred in the Kerch Strait, a key waterway separating Russia from Crimea—the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014. Both tankers are believed to have drifted before running aground. At least one crew member has been reported dead.
Rescue Efforts Halted by Weather
Rescue operations involving tugboats, helicopters, and over 50 personnel managed to save 13 crew members from one tanker. However, efforts were suspended due to worsening weather conditions. The remaining 14 crew members aboard the second vessel reportedly have “everything necessary for immediate life support” but are likely to remain stranded until conditions improve.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev to lead a working group tasked with handling the incident. Authorities are investigating possible criminal negligence as the cause of the wreck.
Small Tankers, Significant Impact
According to Michelle Bockmann, a shipping analyst at Lloyd’s List, the tankers involved are owned by the company Volgatanker and were relatively small, each carrying approximately 4,300 deadweight tonnes of oil. Bockmann explained that larger tankers used for international crude oil trade typically have capacities of around 120,000 deadweight tonnes.
This suggests that the damaged vessels were primarily used for transporting oil through Russia’s rivers or along coastal waters rather than for international shipping.
Rescue operations involving tugboats, helicopters, and over 50 personnel managed to save 13 crew members from one tanker. However, efforts were suspended due to worsening weather conditions. The remaining 14 crew members aboard the second vessel reportedly have “everything necessary for immediate life support” but are likely to remain stranded until conditions improve.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev to lead a working group tasked with handling the incident. Authorities are investigating possible criminal negligence as the cause of the wreck.
Strategic Importance of the Kerch Strait
The Kerch Strait is a vital trade route for Russian grain, crude oil, fuel oil, and liquefied natural gas exports. The region has seen similar incidents in the past, including a 2007 disaster when the Volgoneft-139 tanker split in half during a storm, spilling over 1,000 tonnes of oil into the water.
Sanctions and Russia's Oil Fleet
Russian oil exports have faced heavy sanctions since the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In response, Russia has been accused of using a “ghost fleet” of poorly maintained and uninsured tankers to circumvent restrictions. However, Bockmann noted that the vessels involved in Sunday’s incident do not appear to be part of this shadow fleet.
Looking Ahead
With investigations ongoing and cleanup efforts yet to commence fully, the environmental and economic impact of the spill remains unclear. The incident underscores the risks associated with oil transport in volatile weather conditions and in politically sensitive waters like the Black Sea.
