On 16 February the cargo vessel Pavel Grabovskiy began taking on water after its hull was damaged by ice fragments while navigating the Sea of Azov.
The vessel, en route from Rostov-on-Don to Samsun with 3,000 tons of corn, collided with ice near the Port of Azov causing holes in its hull. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the 11 crew members aboard. Instead of issuing an SOS after the collision, the vessel requested permission to enter Azov Anchorage, Russia.
However, Russian authorities have denied media reports claiming the vessel was in distress, insisting instead that the ship was in port and undergoing repairs.
In addition, the crew attempted to control the flooding with pumps but eventually realized they couldn’t manage the situation.
The crew then sought permission to return to Azov. According to some reports, the ship’s draft was too deep due to the low water levels, preventing it from reaching the port and it eventually ran aground.
The icebreakers Kapitán Demídov and Kapitán Chudínov were deployed to provide assistance.
