Death toll climbs to 11 from ship fire in Kerch Strait
(Reuters) - At least 11 people were killed after two ships caught fire in the Kerch Strait connecting the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, Russia's Federal Agency of Maritime and River Transport (Rosmorrechflot) said on Monday.
Rosmorrechflot's press service was quoted by the Sputnik news agency as saying that the latest data indicates that 12 people are still alive, while 11 have passed away.
Previous reports showed that 10 people were found dead and 14 others were rescued.
A total of 31 sailors, including Turkish and Indian nationals, were reportedly on board the two Tanzania-flagged LNG tankers.
According to preliminary information, an explosion occurred on one of the vessels and set it on fire, which spread to the other ship.
The accident took place while fuel was being pumped from one vessel to the other, Rosmorrechflot said.
There might have been a violation of safety rules during the fuel pumping process, Tass news agency reported, citing a source from the local emergency services.
The search and rescue operation is still ongoing.
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