Two criminal cases opened after tanker accident in the Kerch Strait

Two criminal cases have been opened after the crash of tankers Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 in the Kerch Strait. This was reported on December 15 in the investigative Department of the Investigative Committee (IC) of Russia in Crimea and Sevastopol.

"Criminal cases have been initiated on the fact of violation of the rules of safety of movement and operation of marine transport, as a result of which today in the waters of the Black Sea two tankers "Volgoneft-212" and "Volgoneft-239", carrying oil products, were in distress," - stated in the message of the Department in Telegram-channel.

The most experienced investigators and criminalists have been sent to the scene, who will examine the area and do everything necessary for the investigation, the agency said. In addition, the investigation will assess whether the crew acted correctly in difficult meteorological conditions, will check whether the shipowners worked sufficiently on tanker maintenance.

Vladimir Terentyev, the head of the Republican Investigation Committee, has put the course of the two criminal cases under his personal control.

It became known earlier in the day that the tanker "Volgoneft-212" was in distress due to bad weather in the Kerch Bay. The signal of the tanker's distress was received by the Ministry of Emergency Situations in the morning. In that area were observed strong squally wind and sea excitement up to 7 points. Some time later it became known about the damage of the second tanker. In the main Directorate (GU) of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol reported that more than 50 people and 11 units of equipment are involved in the elimination of the incident.

Later in the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia specified that the "Volgoneft-212" ran aground, and the "Volgoneft-239" after the damage suffered went adrift.

During the rescue operation 13 people were evacuated from the first vessel, one of them died. According to Izvestiya's source, the sailors from the second tanker have left it and are waiting for help.