At least one killed as Russian tankers wrecked in Black Sea

MOSCOW: Russia mounted a rescue effort on Sunday after two oil tankers were wrecked in rough seas off Moscow-annexed Crimea and one broke apart, killing at least one sailor and causing an oil spill.

The tankers, transporting thousands of tonnes of fuel oil, were both damaged in a storm in the Kerch Strait between Crimea and southern Russia's Krasnodar region, Russian news agencies reported.

"Today as a result of a storm in the Black Sea waters, two tankers, the Volgoneft-212 and the Volgoneft-239 were wrecked. On board the ships are crews of 15 and 14. As a result of the accident there was an oil spill," said federal shipping agency Rosmorrechflot.

Reports on crew numbers varied with the emergency situations ministry putting them at 13 and 14.

Dramatic videos posted online showed the stern of the Volgoneft-212 ship broken off and floating vertically in the water. Interfax reported that some of the crew members were in the water.

The emergency situations ministry later said that 13 sailors had been evacuated from the first ship, but "unfortunately one of them had died".

"Two tug boats and two helicopters have been sent to the tankers," the federal shipping agency said, adding that "measures are being taken to eliminate the oil spill".

Key route for Russian grain, oil exports

The Kerch Strait is a key route for exports of Russian grain and is also used for exports of crude oil, fuel oil and liquefied natural gas.

In September, Ukraine accused Russia at an international court of flouting sea law by trying to keep the Kerch Strait under its sole control, something Moscow dismisses at groundless.

The Emergencies Ministry said it was still in contact with the other tanker and its crew after the ship ran aground 80 m from shore near the port of Taman at the south end of the Kerch Strait.

The ministry later wrote on Telegram that efforts to evacuate the crew of the second ship, Volganeft 239, were suspended because of bad weather.

The ministry said rescue teams were in contact with the ship, which had all facilities on board necessary to ensure the lives of the crew were not in danger.

Official statements did not provide details on the extent of the spill or why one of the tankers sustained such serious damage.

President Vladimir Putin ordered the government to set up a working group to deal with the rescue operation and mitigate the impact of the fuel spill, news agencies cited Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying, after Putin met with the ministers for emergencies and environment.

Svetlana Radionova, head of Russia's natural resources watchdog Rosprirodnadzor, said specialists were assessing the damage at the site of the incident.

— With additional input from Reuters