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Russian cargo ships carrying tons of fuel damaged in Black Sea

Two Russian cargo ships carrying oil products were damaged due to bad weather in the Kerch Strait between mainland Russia and annexed Crimea and have requested assistance, Russia’s emergency services ministry said on Sunday.

The damage caused an oil products spill in the Black Sea, the Interfax news agency cited Russia’s Federal Agency for Sea and Inland Water Transport (Rosmorrechflot) as saying.

There were 13 people on board the Volgoneft 212 tanker, which was damaged and ran aground, and 14 people on a second ship, the Volgoneft 239, which was drifting after sustaining damage, the emergency services ministry said.

It added that more than 50 people and equipment including an Mi-8 helicopter and a rescue tugboat had been deployed.

“Information about a spill is being clarified,” the ministry said.

Russia’s Kommersant newspaper reported that the Volgoneft 212 tanker was carrying about 4,300 tonnes of fuel oil. Unverified video posted on Telegram showed some blackened water on stormy seas and a half-submerged tanker.
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