MOSCOW, December 15. /TASS/. A Russian Volgoneft tanker carrying over four tons of fuel oil is in distress in the Kerch Strait, emergency services told TASS.

There are 13 people on board the ship, the source said.

"The tanker's bow part was torn off in a storm, the crew of 13 people is now in the aft part," it added.

No information about casualties or a possible oil spill is available at this point, the source added. The incident occurred about four nautical miles (eight kilometers) off the coast.

Rescue efforts are currently underway in the Kerch Strait, but they are being hindered by harsh weather conditions. Rescue aircrafts cannot get up in the air due to strong wind and storm.

The vessel, owned by Kamatrans company, is assigned to the port of St. Petersburg.