Explosion rocks tanker in Russian port: No casualties reported
The governor of the Leningrad region reported that a tanker exploded in the Russian port of Ust-Luga on the Baltic Sea. The local maritime agency assures that there were no casualties or fuel leaks. The explosion was caused by a crew member's error.
The explosion on the Russian tanker in the Baltic port of Ust-Luga occurred in the engine room during engine startup. The crew was evacuated, and the cargo tanks were not damaged. "The explosion occurred during engine startup," the Russian Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport, Rosmorrechflot, reported.
Explosion on a Russian tanker in a Baltic port
The governor of the Leningrad region, Aleksandr Drozdenko, communicated on Telegram that there is no environmental threat. The explosion was allegedly the result of a "human-caused incident".
As highlighted by Radio Liberty's portal, the tanker, sailing under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda, had 129,700 metric tonnes of fuel on board. The crew consisted of 24 members, mostly Russians, but also Georgians and Indonesians. The explosion damaged the ship's engine room.
Let's recall that in December 2024, two Russian tankers ran aground in the Kerch Strait, causing a fuel oil spill. Since sanctions were imposed on Russia, the country has been utilising the so-called shadow fleet to continue exporting oil and gas amidst the severe sanctions imposed on it after starting the war in Ukraine.
