Yesterday near the Kerch Strait, which connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Azov, while a storm was underway two ships Russian tankers, Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239 of the fleet of the Volgatanker company, suffered serious damage. The Russian Ministry of Civil Defense, Emergencies and Relief in natural disasters (Emercom), which sent helicopters and tugs at the scene of the accident, announced that the crew of 13 people on the first ship, which transports products oil, requested assistance, and damage was suffered also by the Volgoneft 239, which has a crew of 14 and it also has a cargo of petroleum products.

The ministry then announced that a sailor from Volgoneft 212 died and the other crew members were rescued, while the evacuation of the crew of the other ship, which ran aground 80 meters from the coast near the of the port of Taman, has been suspended due to bad weather. From the first photographs released by the Russian authorities, the Volgoneft 212 appeared to be sinking.