Collision was ’just a situation’
The episode where two tankers carrying diesel-fuel collided with each other in Arctic waters on the North East Passage was no emergency situation, just an ‘operational situation’, says Murmansk Shipping Company.
As BarentsObserver reported, the two tankers Indiga and Varzuga collided with each other somewhere along the North East Passage on their way from Murmansk to Chukotka in Russia’s Far East. Both tankers are loaded with 13,300 tons of diesel-fuel.
According to the Department of Safety in the Murmansk Shipping Company, the incident happened outside the New Siberian Islands on the night to July 16, TV21.ru reports. When the ice breaker and the first tanker suddenly stopped, the second tanker did not manage to break in time.
Nobody was hurt in the accident, and there were no leakages of oil, Murmansk Shipping Company says. The tankers continued the trip with minor damages. Varzuga is expected to arrive at the port of Pevek on July 22, and Indiga to the port of Provideniya on July 24, TV21.ru reports.
