A Russian tanker has sunk in the Kerch Strait during a violent Black Sea storm, killing one seafarer and causing an oil spill. Russian news agency Ria Novosti, citing official sources, said a second vessel in distress, the Volgoneft 239, was drifting and ran aground about 80 metres from the shore near the port of Taman.

At least one person is killed after the two tankers sustained heavy damage in the Kerch Strait, spilling oil and sparking an emergency rescue operation.

Two Russian tankers that spilled oil into the Kerch Strait after sustaining serious damage during a heavy storm on Sunday were carrying 9,200 metric tons (62,000 barrels) of oil products at the time,