Tanker wreck case reclassified to a more serious offense

One of the two criminal cases on the tanker crash in the Kerch Strait has been reclassified as more serious. This was reported by the Investigative Committee of Crimea and Sevastopol on December 15.

According to the agency, the decision to reclassify the case is due to the confirmed death of a crew member of the Volgoneft-212.

"In connection with the confirmed death of a crew member of the "Volgoneft 212" one of the criminal cases <...> is reclassified to a more serious corpus delicti of part 2 of article 263 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Violation of the rules and operation of maritime transport, causing the death of a person by negligence")", - stated in the Telegram-channel of the department.

Breaking storm: two tankers in distress off the coast of Kerch

The powerful elements snapped both vessels in half

The fact that the tanker "Volgoneft-212" is in distress because of bad weather in the Kerch Bay, became known earlier in the day. In that area there were strong squally winds 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 Izvestia source, the sailors from the second tanker left it and are waiting for help. Two criminal cases were opened over the incident.