11 Dead as Ships With Indian Crew Members Catch Fire Near Russia

In this video grab provided by the Kerch.fm web portal, the two vessels were on fire near the Kerch Strait, in Kerch, Crimea, on Monday, 21 January. 

(Photo: Kerch.fm via AP)

Two ships carrying Indian, Turkish and Libyan crew members caught fire in the Kerch Strait separating Crimea from Russia, killing at least 11 people, media reports said on Tuesday, 22 January.

The fire broke out on Monday, 21 January, off Russia's territorial waters. Both the vessels – a liquefied natural gas carrier and a tanker – had Tanzanian flags. The fire broke out as the two ships were transferring fuel from one to the other, reported PTI.

One of the ships, named Candy, had a 17-member crew, including nine Turkish citizens and eight Indian nationals.

The other ship, Maestro, had a 15-member crew, including seven Turkish nationals, seven Indian citizens and an intern from Libya, Russian news agency Tass quoted the maritime authority as saying.

In a statement, the Ministry of external Affairs said:

“Our embassy in Moscow is in constant touch with the concerned Russian agencies to get more information on Indian nationals affected in the incident and to extend necessary assistance.”

At Least 11 Sailors Dead

At least 11 sailors have died, Russian Maritime Agency was quoted as saying by RT news, a Russian television network.

"Presumably, an explosion occurred (on one of the vessels). Then the fire spread to another vessel. A rescue tug is en route," said a spokesperson for the Russian Maritime Agency.

Some three dozen sailors managed to escape the burning ships by jumping off the vessels.

Twelve people have so far been rescued from the sea. Nine sailors are still listed as missing, the spokesperson said.

Severe weather conditions at sea have prevented rescue ships from taking victims to the shore for medical treatment, the report added.

The Kerch Strait is a key waterway that holds strategic importance for both Russia and Ukraine. It is an important economic lifeline for Ukraine that allows ships leaving the port city of Mariupol to access the Black Sea.

It's also the the closest point of access for Russia to Crimea, a peninsula Moscow had annexed in 2014. A Russian-built bridge over the Kerch Strait opened in May last year, reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)