AT least one person is dead after a Russian oil tanker split in two, with a second ship damaged in the Black Sea.
Footage shows one of the tankers split completely in half, with its bow vertically in the water, upturned and sinking.
An emergency rescue operation is currently underway to desperately evacuate both crews in yet another blow to Putin.
Two oil tankers, the Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, have been wrecked in the Kerch Strait. Reports suggest that at least 27 sailors are at risk, with concerns heightened due to a significant oil spill following the damage.
Russian investigators say they have opened two criminal cases to look into possible safety violations.
The two Russian tankers in the Black Sea have been badly damaged due to stormy weather, according to the Interfax news agency.
The Volgoneft-212 had 13 crew on board, and the Volgoneft 239 had 14 sailors.
Other reports said a total of 29 were on the two vessels.
Ten sailors have been rescued so far but 13 are said to be “still at sea”, reports claim.
The situation is dire for four individuals who were believed to be inside one of the vessels when it disintegrated. There are worries that they may have drowned in the incident.
The report said: “Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 are new river-sea type ships.
“In the 1990s, they were cut in half and ‘sewn together’ to meet the standards of the class of such ships.
“All this time, they were not properly serviced.
“Today, during a storm, the waves hit them in the side and ‘tore’ the welded seam.
“ Each had 4,000 tons of fuel oil in the tanks – some of it leaked out of the tanks, forming black spots in the sea.”
Russian Mi-8 rescue helicopters were reportedly flying to the scene.
A rescue tug was also sent to the location, several miles off the shore of the Crimean peninsula.
They are reportedly loaded with oil, and the Volgoneft-212 has a deadweight tonnage of 5,000 tons, but some reports said it had 4 tons on board.
Other reports said it was carrying 4,300 tons of oil.
It was built in 1969, and has been in service more than half a century.
The Volgoneft-239 was built in 1982, and it may have been carrying more than 4,000 tons.
Despite the ongoing attacks in the region by Ukrainian marine drones, the issues faced by the oil tankers are not thought to be linked to the conflict. The situation remains critical as search and rescue efforts are underway to locate any potential survivors.
Readovka media outlet reported: “According to preliminary data, a hole was formed in the hull due to strong waves, after which the ship broke in half and began to sink.”
The Russian Emergencies Ministry confirmed that the Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 were sinking.
“More than 50 specialists and 11 pieces of equipment are already involved in eliminating the consequences. Further information is being clarified,” said the ministry.
Later it said the 212 had run aground, and while the 239 was drifting.
