Two Russian oil tankers with a crew of 29 on board sank in the Black Sea amid bad weather, and are now leaking oil, Russian authorities said.
A video clip spread on social media, and the BBC was unable to verify its authenticity, shows one of the tankers broken in two and sinking in the middle of a severe storm, with streaks of oil visible in the water.
The incident occurred in the Kerch Strait, which separates Russia from the occupied Crimean Peninsula.
TASS news agency reported that the rescue and clean-up operation is underway with the participation of two tug boats, two helicopters and more than 50 individuals.
The Russian Federal Maritime Transport and Inland Waters Agency, Rosmorikhflot, said in a statement: “Today, as a result of a storm in the Black Sea, two tankers, Volgunft-212 and Volgunft-239, sank.”
She continued: “There were a crew of 15 and 14 people on board the two ships. The accident led to the leakage of oil products.”
