MOSCOW, October 26. /TASS/. The search and rescue operation in the Sea of Azov after the explosion on board the oil tanker has ended because there are no chances to find the three missed seamen alive, the press service of the Russian Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport told TASS.
"The search and rescue operation has ended today by the decision of the Marine Rescue Center because there are no chances to find the people alive," the Agency’s spokesperson told TASS.
The decision was made to tow the tanker to a berth in Port Krym after completion of the inspection, the Agency said.
"The ship obtained sufficient buoyancy, obstacles were eliminated and the decision was taken on towing it to Port Krym," the press service noted. "A plating fragment hanging down the vessel collapsed in the morning without extra aid; no additional work was needed in connection therewith and divers were not engaged," the press service added.
On Saturday evening, at about 19.00, an explosion of petroleum product vapors occurred onboard the oil tanker General Azi Aslanov sailing under the Russian flag from Port Kavkaz to Rostov-on-Don without cargo. There were 13 crewmembers on board. Ten of them were rescued.
The cause of the emergency is being investigated. Safety violations and hot work might have caused the blast, a source from the emergency services told TASS earlier.