Crimea gas ship explosion: fire engulfs two tankers, sends crews into the water

Two natural gas carriers are burning off the coast of Crimea, killing at least 10. Rescuers have abandoned attempts to douse the flames and say a further 10 are still missing.

An image taken from AFP TV shows a burning ship after a fire engulfed two gas tankers in the Black Sea off Crimea. Picture: AFP

Rescuers have abandned attempts to douse the flames of two burning liquified gas carrying ships in the Black Sea near Crimea’s Kerch Strait. The vessels will be left to burn out.

Russian state-run news agency TASS reports local rescue authorities as saying 10 crew are confirmed dead, with a further 10 not accounted for.

Спасатели начали тушить пожар в Керченском проливе https://t.co/XG71t7MZLM pic.twitter.com/0cQh3lvoQf

— РИА Новости (@rianru) January 21, 2019

Russian rescue authorities say the two ships were alongside each other transferring fuel when the fire started. The flames quickly spread to both ships, setting off an explosions aboard both of them.

The ships involved were the Kandy, with a crew of 17, and the Maestro, with 14 on board.

AFP reports “no signal from either one of the two captains” had been received.

Reports state 11 people have so far been rescued.

Closer look at one of the vessels ablaze. pic.twitter.com/ZxUn53HQOh

— ɪɴᴛᴇʟ ᴄʀᴀʙ (@IntelCrab) January 21, 2019

“The search and rescue operation continues,” the Maritime Rescue co-ordination Center said in a statement. “There is a threat of a gas explosion,

Russian news service TASS reports rescuers as saying the two Tanzania registered ships were ‘illegally anchored’. A criminal investigation has been launched into the deaths.

Восемь моряков числятся пропавшими без вести после ЧП в Черном море https://t.co/MGi65d32uO pic.twitter.com/vcZEP9V3vQ

— РИА Новости (@rianru) January 21, 2019

The incident has occurred in neutral waters outside the contested Kerch Strait, linking the Sea of Azov with the Black Sea. Russia has moved to seize the international waterway following its annexation of the adjoining Crimea Peninsula in 2014.